JAMMU: Two policemen including a disengaged Special Police Officer (SPO) have been chargsheeted in a bribery case here, a spokesman for the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said on Sunday.
Head constable Sohan Lal and SPO Amit Sharma (now disengaged) were booked in 20018 under the Prevention of Corruption Act after the latter was caught red-handed allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 on behalf of Lal in lieu of release of seized cattle in Gharota area, the spokesman said. He said a person lodged a complaint in the ACB, claiming that he had purchased a buffalo along with a two-day-old calf for Rs 60,000, and while taking the animals to his home in a vehicle, he was stopped by some locals who later handed him over to police station Gharota along with the vehicle.
However, the court directed the police to release the cattle in his favour but Lal, who was posted as investigating officer, demanded Rs 10,000 as bribe, the spokesman said. He said a trap team was constituted and SPO Sharma was caught red-handed while accepting the illegal gratification on the directions of Lal who despite court order did not release the animals but only made an entry in daily diary showing the release of the bovines.
After completion of investigation and obtaining prosecution sanction against in-service accused public servant (Lal), the charge sheet against both the accused was filed before the court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu for judicial determination, the spokesman said.
He said the next date of hearing has been fixed on April 30.
