Srinagar: J&K Anti Corrupting Bureau received a written complaint to the effect that Executive Engineer Jal Shakti (PHE) Mechanical Division South Awantipora namely Manzoor Ahmad Dar is demanding a bribe of ₹20,000 from him for clearing of Bills on account of Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) works carried out by him at the said PHE Mechanical Division, out of which the complainant has earlier paid an amount of ₹8000 to the suspect and the remaining amount of ₹12000 was to be paid after the clearance of the bills.

The complainant chose not to pay bribe and instead approached Anti Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the said Executive Engineer as envisaged under law.

On receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted which confirmed the demand by the said Govt. employee and accordingly Case FIR No. 02/2026 u/s 7 of P/C Act 1988 read with amendment Act-2018 was registered in P/S ACB Anantnag and investigation was taken up.

During the course of investigation a trap team was constituted. The team laid a successful trap and caught the said Govt. employee Manzoor Ahmad Dar S/o Ghulam Mohammad Dar R/o Daf Pora Budgam red handed while demanding and accepting bribe. He was arrested on spot and bribe amount was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team.

Subsequently, search of residential houses of the accused Govt. employee was carried out in presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses.

Further investigation of the instant case is going on.

Shopian, March 28, KNT: Police in Shopian on Saturday attached a single-storey residential house valued at Rs 18.88 lakh in Barbugh Imamsahib area, officials said.

The property, registered under Khasra No. 126, belongs to Mushtaq Ahmad Khanday, a resident of the locality.

The action comes as part of an ongoing investigation into narcotics-related activities, with police stating that the property was acquired through proceeds generated from the illegal sale of drugs.

Officials said the attachment was carried out in connection with FIR No. 02/2026 registered at Police Station Imamsahib under relevant provisions of law.

The process was executed in the presence of a duly constituted police team along with an Executive Magistrate, Lambardar and Chowkidar to ensure adherence to legal procedures.

Police said the move is aimed at curbing the drug menace by targeting assets derived from illicit activities and dismantling the financial networks of those involved.

Authorities reiterated their commitment to taking strict action against individuals engaged in drug trafficking and related offences. [KNT]

Rajouri, March 27, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday apprehended a forester and a forest guard in Rajouri district for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 7,000, officials said.

The duo was caught “red-handed” while accepting illegal gratification in a case linked to forestry operations, as part of a trap laid by the anti-graft agency.

The arrests are part of the ACB’s ongoing crackdown on corruption within government departments, particularly at the field level where public interface is frequent.

Officials said the operation was conducted swiftly following a complaint, leading to the successful trapping of the accused while they were accepting the bribe amount.

An amount of Rs 7,000 was recovered from the accused at the spot, officials said, adding that necessary legal formalities were completed during the operation.

Searches were also carried out at the offices associated with the accused as part of the investigation.

The ACB has registered a case under relevant provisions of law and initiated a formal investigation into the matter.

Officials said the accused would be produced before a competent court for further legal proceedings.

The identities of the accused were not immediately disclosed.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has in recent months stepped up efforts to curb bribery and misconduct within government departments across Jammu and Kashmir.

Authorities have urged the public to report instances of corruption, assuring strict action against those found involved. [KNT]

Bandipora: The District Administration Bandipora would like to reassure residents that petrol and diesel are adequately available at fuel stations across the district. There is no shortage of fuel at present.

Residents are kindly requested to remain calm and avoid panic buying

Fuel station owners have also been advised to strictly follow norms. Any hoarding, black marketing, or irregular practices will invite strict legal action.

The situation is being closely monitored by the District Administration, and the public is requested to rely on official communication for accurate updates

SRINAGAR  MARCH 25: To review the progress achieved under key Agriculture and allied sector schemes including HADP, JKCIP, and KKGs in the district, a meeting of line Department Officers was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner(DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo here at Meeting Hall of the DC Office Complex, here today.

Besides, Additional District Development Commissioner, Rifat Aftab Qureshi and Chief Planning Officer, Fayaz Ahmad Dar, the meeting was attended by Chief Agriculture Officer, Chief Horticulture Officer, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Assistant Director Fisheries, District Sheep Husbandry Officer, District Sericulture Officer, District Programme Officer NRLM and other concerned.

At the outset, the Deputy Commissioner conducted a comprehensive sector-wise review of achievements and ongoing interventions under Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and Jammu and Kashmir Competitiveness Improvement in Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP) aimed at enhancing productivity, strengthening value chains, and improving  income of the farmers.

He also reviewed Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and functioning of Kisan Khidmat Ghars (KKGs) aimed to ensure that the intended benefits reach farmers at the grassroots level.

On the occasion, the DC stressed that all eligible farmers in the District must be covered under these schemes and instructed officers to further intensify outreach efforts to cover left out beneficiaries of district in a time bound manner. He also emphasized on increasing farmer enrolment under PMFBY to provide insurance coverage against crop losses.

Reviewing the functioning of KKGs, the DC called for further strengthening of these centers to ensure efficient and seamless delivery of services to the farming community.

The Officers of Agriculture and allied departments were also directed to fast-track pending cases, ensure timely disbursement of benefits and facilitate improved access to institutional credit.

  The DC underscored the importance of coordinated efforts among departments to clear pendency, if any and enhance overall implementation efficiency. He further instructed officers to expedite the processing of cases in accordance with the laid-down guidelines to ensure that benefits are extended to farmers within the stipulated timelines.

During the meeting, the DC acknowledged  the line departments for their continued progress and urged them to sustain and further intensify their efforts to ensure comprehensive coverage, so that no eligible farmer in the district is deprived of the benefits.

SRINAGAR MARCH 24:- As a part of World Tuberculosis(TB) Day 2026 under the National TB Elimination Programme, the Deputy Commissioner(DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo today kicked off the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 programme with the 100 day intensified campaign here at DC Office Complex.

The Deputy Commissioner also flagged off TB testing Van” which would tour different parts of the District during the next 100 days to create public awareness regarding the campaign. The Van, equipped with a pre-installed CBNAAT facility, is capable of providing results within two hours. The van proceeded directly to Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) Batamaloo area of the District for conducting screening, diagnosis and awareness generation.

On the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner, interacted with the senior Health functionaries and was apprised about the ongoing campaign preparations and micro-plan. He lauded the dedicated efforts of the health department and appreciated their contributions towards TB control and elimination in the district.

Emphasizing the significance of the initiative, the Deputy Commissioner stated that the primary objective of the 100-day campaign is to accelerate efforts towards tuberculosis elimination by ensuring outreach to every section of society, focused testing & screening, increasing presumptive testing, enhancing awareness about the disease, and guaranteeing access to free and quality TB care services.

The DC called upon all stakeholders to work in close coordination to ensure the success of the campaign. He further highlighted that Tuberculosis continues to remain a public health concern, particularly affecting vulnerable and high-risk populations.

During the 100-day intensified campaign period, health teams will undertake active case finding by reaching out to high-risk groups, vulnerable sections. The initiative aims at early detection of TB cases, spreading awareness about symptoms, prevention and treatment, and providing sustained medical and psychological support to patients for complete recovery.

Chief Planning Officer, Fayaz Ahmad Dar, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tahir Sajad, District Tuberculosis Officer, Dr Raouf, Block Medical Officer Hazratbal, Dr Abdul Majeed, ZMO S.R. Gunj, Dr Shafaqat, ZMO Zadibal, Dr Rubeena, Medical Superintendent Government Gousia Hospital, Dr. Arshid, besides other officials of the Health Department were present on the occasion.