Mining official arrested for graft in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jun 12 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation has apprehended a Geology and Mining Department official for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 2000 from a stone quarry owner.

A vigilance spokesman said Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, a supervisor in the Geology and Mining department at Baramulla, had demanded Rs 2000 from Ghulam Nabi Dar, a stone quarry owner.

In his complaint, Dar said while stone quarry owners of his village were being charged Rs 480 as monthly royalty to the Geology and Mining department, he was being asked to pay Rs 1181 per month.

The complainant then approached the District Geology and Mining Officer for reducing the royalty rate to the level of other quarry owners. The officer referred Dar to Bhat who demanded Rs 2000 for reducing the rate, the spokesman added.

A case was registered and investigations taken up. During the course of investigations, the vigilance officials laid a trap and caught Bhat red handed while accepting Rs 2000 from Dar.

Bhat was taken into custody for further investigations.

UNI