An official of Jammu and Kashmir Irrigation and Flood Control (IFC) department was Saturday sentenced to two years imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 by an anti-corruption court for demanding and taking a bribe of Rs 1,500 about 10 years ago.
Special Judge (Anti-Corruption) Kashmir Yashpaul Bourney convicted Mohammad Amin Bhat, the then chairman in the office of Collector Land Acquisition IFC, Srinagar, for the commission of the offence under Prevention of Corruption Act.
He was also sentenced to six months imprisonment for commission of offence under Ranbir Panel Code and further imprisonment of three months in default of payment of fine, a spokesman of the vigilance organisation said, adding all the sentences shall run concurrently.
On October 30, 2006, a case under Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against the accused in Police Station Vigilance Organisation, Kashmir on a written complaint lodged by one Ali Mohammad Bhat of Awantipora, alleging the chairman was demanding Rs 1500 as “illegal gratification” for processing his compensation case which was lying pending and was subjected to unnecessary delay on one or other pretext despite repeated requests by the complainant.
After registration of the case, a team was constituted and the accused was caught while accepting an amount of Rs 1500 as illegal gratification from the complainant, the spokesman said.
The investigating officer established criminal misconduct in terms of section 5(2) of the Act against the accused and subsequently the charge sheet was produced against him before the court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Kashmir in May 2007, he said.
After he was caught by the sleuths, the official was immediately suspended by the department, the spokesman said.
