CBI Arrests JKAS Officer in Srinagar on Bribery Charges, Rs 20,000 Recovered

SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 19: In a significant anti-corruption drive, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested a Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe in Srinagar.

The officer, identified as Sargaraz Ahmad Bhat, was serving as State Sales Tax Officer at the Silk Factory office in Solina, Srinagar. According to officials, he was apprehended after demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a complainant in return for extending official favour.

Sources said the CBI swung into action after receiving a formal complaint, laying a trap to catch the accused in the act. Sleuths of the agency entered his office and nabbed him immediately after the transaction. The entire bribe amount was recovered from his possession on the spot, in the presence of independent witnesses, as per established procedure.

The CBI has registered a formal case against the officer under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He was taken into custody and is expected to be produced before a special court. Investigators are now examining whether the officer had indulged in similar corrupt practices in the past, and if a wider network of officials is linked to the case.

Officials stressed that the arrest underscores the CBI’s ongoing commitment to curbing corruption and enforcing accountability in public offices. A senior officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Public service cannot be allowed to become a platform for personal enrichment. Strict action will be taken against those who misuse their positions.”