| Court frames charges against SHO, others in Bribery Case | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 14: In a significant development, Additional Sessions Judge Anticorruption Doda, Amarjeet Singh Langeh, has framed charges against Ghulam Nabi Mir, the then SHO of Gandoh, Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Head Constable, and Nek Singh, a police cop, in a bribery case.
According to the Vigilance Organization of Jammu (now ACB), the complainant lodged a complaint on July 10, 2013, alleging that the accused, the then SHO of Police Station Gandoh (accused No. 2) and the then Mohrar Head Constable of Police Station Gandoh (accused No. 3), demanded a bribe of Rs. 12,000 from him for registering an FIR in connection with a molestation case involving his daughter-in-law. The complainant further claimed that when he expressed his inability to arrange the demanded amount, accused No. 3 insisted on at least Rs. 7,000 for entertaining the complaint. As the complainant was unwilling to pay the bribe, he lodged a complaint with the then DY.SP of Vigilance Organization Jammu.
Subsequently, FIR No. 10/2013 was registered under sections 5(1)(d) r/w 5(2) of J&K PC Act Svt 2006, Section 4-A of J&K P.C Act (Amendment) 2014, and sections 201 and 120-B of RPC. During the investigation, a trap was set up in a hotel near the main gate of Police Station Gandoh, resulting in the red-handed arrest of accused No. 3 while accepting a gratification of Rs. 7,000 from the complainant. However, accused No. 1, who demanded a share of Rs. 1,000 in the bribe, managed to evade the trap.
Based on the investigation, it was revealed that all three accused abused their official positions and conspired to solicit and demand the bribe for registering the molestation case. Accused No. 2, the then SHO of Police Station Gandoh, was to receive Rs. 5,000, while the remaining accused were to receive Rs. 1,000 each. Accused No. 1 marked the application of the complainant's daughter-in-law to accused No. 2 after being informed that the bribe had been agreed upon. Accused No. 1, as the investigating officer, went to the spot to investigate the molestation allegations and also demanded a bribe from the complainant during the investigation.
After considering the arguments from both sides, Additional Sessions Judge Amarjeet Singh Langeh observed that there is prima facie material available on record to frame charges against the accused for the offenses under sections 5(1)(d) r/w 5(2) of J&K PC Act Svt 2006, Section 4-A of J&K P.C Act (Amendment) 2014, and Sections 201 and 120-B of RPC. Consequently, the accused have been charged with these offenses.
The matter is now pending for further arguments on charge/discharge.
—JNF |
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