Anantnag, Mar 29 (JKNS): Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau on Sunday trapped and arrested Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat, a Special Police Officer (SPO) posted at Police Station Larnoo in Anantnag, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹18,000 from a complainant for release of vehicle documents.
Spokesperson in a statement as per news agency JKNS said, J&K ACB received a written complaint to the effect that on 26-03-2026, the complainant was driving his Load Carrier from Mati to Badihar and was stopped by Police Naka Party at Badihar Bridge.
The Police Party searched the Load Carrier and checked the documents of the Load Carrier but didn’t return back documents of Load Carrier to the complainant, instead told him to report at Police Station Larnoo on next day, it reads.
On next day i.e. on 27-03-2026 the complainant proceeded to Police Station Larnoo where he met SPO Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat who verbally demanded to pay an amount of ₹30000 for release of documents but later on demanded an amount of ₹25000 on phone, which was finally settled on ₹18000, statement reads.
The complainant chose not to pay bribe and instead approached Anti Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the said Police Official as envisaged under law, it reads.
On receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted which confirmed the demand by the said Govt. employee and accordingly Case FIR No. 03/2026 u/s 7 of PC Act 1988 read with amendment Act-2018 was registered in PS ACB Anantnag and investigation was taken up, it reads.
State further reads, “During the course of investigation a trap team was constituted. The team laid a successful trap and caught the said Official Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat No 176/SPO of Police Station Larnoo Anantnag, S/o Khazir Mohammad Bhat R/o Batpora Larnoo Kokernag Anantnag 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 Police Official was carried out in presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses, it reads.
Further investigation of the instant case is going on, statement reads. (JKNS)
