Srinagar, July 1 (KDC): The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday said that it has arrested a sitting District Development Council (DDC) member Mohammad Shaban Chopan and his associate for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 and a blank signed cheque in exchange for arranging official No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for a local school in Srinagar.
According to an official statement issued by the ACB to news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC), the bureau received a written complaint from the owner of a scholars’ boarding school, which also includes a swimming pool and guest house located at Check Dara, Harwan, Srinagar. The complainant stated that he had been running the facility peacefully for years, but a recent official inspection—allegedly orchestrated by DDC Member Mohammad Shaban Chopan—led to a demand for a bribe.
The complainant further alleged that Chopan, a resident of Dara Harwan, used his tout Ghulam Mohammad Khathana to demand a bribe of ₹5,00,000. The complainant was asked to pay ₹50,000 as the first installment along with a blank signed cheque, with the remaining amount to be paid after the required clearances were granted.
Believing the inspection was a pressure tactic to extort money, the complainant approached the ACB, which then initiated a discreet verification. The verification report confirmed that the demand for illegal gratification had indeed been made by the public servant through his associate.
Following this, FIR No. 12/2025 was registered at Police Station ACB Srinagar under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended), read with Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A trap team was constituted, and during the operation, both the DDC member and his tout were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting ₹50,000 in cash and a blank signed cheque from the complainant. Both were apprehended on the spot.
Further investigation is underway.
The ACB has reiterated its commitment to fight corruption and urged the public to report such cases via its dedicated helpline or by contacting the nearest ACB office. (KDC)
