JK court convicts 2 engineers in bribery case

Jammu, Sep 18 (PTI) The Anti-Corruption Court (ACB) on Thursday convicted two PWD engineers for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 45,000 in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district.

In 2011, the ACB arrested junior engineer Raja Faisal while demanding and accepting the bribe of Rs 45,000 in the presence of independent witnesses in Doda city.

The investigation further revealed the involvement of assistant executive engineer Syed Ikhlaq Hussain Peer, an ACB spokesperson said.

Judge Archana Charak, convicted the two engineers under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and 161 (punishment for public servant) of the repealed IPC section by the PC Act.

The court sentenced each accused to rigorous imprisonment for one year along with a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 120B RPC, rigorous imprisonment for one year and a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 161 RPC, and rigorous imprisonment for one year and a fine of Rs 10,000 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The case was registered on the complaint of a contractor who had completed blacktopping work on the Doda–Ganeka road.

While 75 per cent payment has been released, the accused officers demanded illegal gratification of Rs 45,000 for the release of the remaining amount, thereby harassing the complainant, the ACB spokesperson said.

A trap was accordingly laid in Doda city, during which Faisal was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe of Rs 45,000 in the presence of independent witnesses.

After completion of investigation, a chargesheet was filed before the court, which tried both men and handed out the punishment. PTI AB AB AMK AMK