SRINAGAR: The Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court, Jammu, Haq Nawaz Zargar, on Wednesday convicted former Naib Tehsildar Faryad Ahmed and ex-Patwari Yadav Chander in a 2019 bribery case, sentencing both to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposing a fine.
The conviction stems from a complaint filed by Javed Ashraf on April 16, 2019, alleging that the two revenue officials demanded ₹90,000 for issuing Fard Intikhab of two marlas of land at Jhajjar Kotli on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Following the complaint, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Jammu registered FIR No. 11/2019 under the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B RPC, and constituted a trap team led by DySP Abdul Wahid Giri.
During the trap, the complainant handed over ₹90,000 to Naib Tehsildar Ahmed in the presence of Patwari Chander. The ACB team immediately raided the office, recovered the tainted money from the drawer, and conducted chemical tests that confirmed phenolphthalein traces on Ahmed’s hands.
During trial, the prosecution examined 15 witnesses, including independent officials and trap team members. The court ruled that the oral, documentary, and scientific evidence proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt, rejecting the defence’s claim of false implication.
Both officers were convicted under Sections 5(1)(d) r/w 5(2), 4-A of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, and Section 120-B RPC. The court said corruption in the revenue sector erodes public confidence and warranted deterrent punishment to safeguard public institutions.
