The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday apprehended District Development Council (DDC) member Mohammad Shaban Chopan and his associate Ghulam Mohammad Khathana red-handed while accepting a ₹50,000 bribe in Srinagar. The arrest followed a complaint alleging the duo had demanded ₹5 lakh to facilitate No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for a private boarding school in Dara Harwan.
According to ACB officials, the accused had allegedly conducted a sham inspection of the school premises to legitimize their extortion attempt. The complainant was pressured into paying an initial ₹50,000 along with a blank signed cheque. FIR No. 12/2025 has been registered under anti-corruption laws, with investigations revealing the bribe demand was made through Khathana as an intermediary. This marks another high-profile arrest in J&K’s anti-graft drive.
The ACB has urged citizens to report corruption via its helpline, emphasizing zero tolerance for such offenses. The case remains under active investigation.
(Source: KNT)
