Head constable suspended for taking bribe from undertrial in J&K’s Reasi

A policeman was arrested on Saturday for taking a bribe from an undertrial after threatening to book him under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, officials said.

Mahroof Ahmed, posted as a head constable at the Mahore police station, was caught red-handed by a trap team of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 in the presence of independent witnesses, an ACB spokesman said.

In the complaint, the victim alleged that after being detained in a case, a local court granted him bail on September 25 with the condition that he would report daily at the Mahore police station between 10 am to 4 pm. However, during this period, Ahmed harassed the complainant, kept him at the police station beyond the prescribed time, and demanded a bribe of Rs 8,000 for permitting his timely release, the spokesman said, adding that the bribe was paid on October 1 inside the police station.

After two days, the accused again threatened the complainant and his associate, demanding an additional bribe of Rs 12,000 for the release of their tractor and for allowing their timely release during prescribed hours.

"Ahmed threatened to book them under the PSA if they failed to pay. The amount was later negotiated to Rs 8,000," the spokesman said.

Unwilling to pay any further amount to the head constable, the complainant approached the ACB. After verification, an FIR under relevant sections of law was registered and the accused was arrested by a trap team, the spokesman said.

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