Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) which along with other agencies is already being accused of allowing wanton illegal constructions in Srinagar city, received a jolt when police arrested one of its Enforcement Officer while accepting bribe from a person for allowing him to continue his construction work at Bagiyas Chattabal area of Srinagar city. Commissioner SMC says that the wrongdoings of the said official had already come into his notice and he had directed him to appear before Joint Commissioner Planning. SSP Srinagar Amit Kumar told CNS that the official was arrested in presence of Tehsildar Khanyar Imran Ahmad. He identified the tainted official as Ghulam Rasool Dar son of Ghulam Muhammad Dar resident of Hariwaten hamlet of North Kashmir’s Tangmarg town.
“SP city North along with Tehsildar Khanyar laid a trap after Chattabal resident complained that Enforcement Officer SMC has been continuously calling him and is threatening him to stop the construction work in case he did not pay more bribe,” SSP Srinagar said adding that tainted official was arrested red handed and the money that he had accepted as bribe was also recovered from him.SP city North Tahir Saleem told CNC that the accused has been put behind the bars and a case vide FIR number 146/2014 under section 5(2) Prevention of Corruption Act and 161 RPC has been registered against him in police station Safa Kadal.
Admitting that the tainted official has brought disrepute to the institution, Commissioner SMC Dr G.N.Qasba told CNS that the Corporation has already prepared a list of corrupt and dishonest officers against whom they are receiving complaints on daily basis. “There are at least 7 officers whose names figure in corruption list and I have directed the Joint Commissioner Planning to investigate all the complaints about them. These officers have in fact been told to appear before Joint Commissioner Planning and a full-fledged committee has been constituted to probe the corruption charges against them,” Dr G.N.Qasba told CNS.
He further added that the tainted official who brought disgrace to the Institution was operating in different parts of North Srinagar including Chattabal, Laway Pora, Zainakot, HMT, Qamarwari and other parts of North city. “From past 3 days the Corporation had been receiving corruption complaints against the said accused and other officers including Ward Officers and Building Inspectors. Strict action will be taken against these black-sheep,” he said. Sources told CNS that the accused Enforcement Officer was awarded out of turn promotion in 2007 after the intervention of a Cabinet Minister. “Dar was directly promoted from Sanitary Inspector to Ward Officer in 2007 while on the directions of a particular Minister who is also at present a Cabinet Minister all the officer who were senior to him were bypassed and ignored,” sources said. (CNS)