Srinagar, Oct 4 : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a Head Constable posted at Police Station Mahore in Reasi district for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 from a man who had been recently granted interim bail. The accused was caught red-handed during a trap operation conducted by a team led by a Gazetted Officer, officials said on Friday.
According to an ACB spokesperson, the case came to light following a written complaint received from a man who had been granted interim bail by the court on July 25, 2025, in a case under investigation at Police Station Mahore. The court order required the complainant to report daily at the police station between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
However, the complainant alleged that Head Constable Mahroof Ahmed, posted at the same police station, harassed him and detained him beyond the stipulated reporting time. “He demanded a bribe of Rs 8,000 to permit his timely release from the police station,” the ACB statement said. “The complainant paid the bribe amount on October 1, 2025, inside the premises of Police Station Mahore.”
The statement added that the Head Constable did not stop there. “Two days later, the accused again demanded an additional bribe of Rs 12,000 for the release of the complainant’s tractor and to ensure they would be allowed to leave the police station within the prescribed time,” the ACB said. “When the complainant resisted, the accused threatened to book him and his associate under the Public Safety Act (PSA). The amount was finally negotiated to Rs 8,000.”
Unwilling to yield to further extortion, the complainant approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau for assistance. After verifying the allegations, the ACB registered a case under FIR No. 02/2025 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) at its Udhampur office.
Subsequently, a trap was laid under the supervision of a Gazetted Officer. The Head Constable was apprehended red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe money in the presence of independent witnesses. The tainted currency notes were recovered from his possession on the spot.
“Post-arrest, the accused was taken into custody for questioning, and further investigation into the matter is underway to ascertain the involvement of other officials, if any,” the ACB statement said.
The Bureau reaffirmed its commitment to upholding transparency and accountability within government institutions and urged the public to promptly report any instance of corruption or misuse of official authority [KNT]
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