The CBI’s iron fist against bribery struck again in Ganderbal, J&K, with the dramatic arrest of a patwari caught accepting Rs 15,000 from a desperate landowner. Detailed in a Friday release, the operation exposed how basic services morph into extortion rackets.
It all started with a simple request: update land revenue entries and provide a jamabandi extract. The patwari’s price tag? Rs 20,000. The complainant, wisely choosing integrity over payment, alerted CBI on January 28, prompting an immediate case registration.
Agents orchestrated a flawless sting. On Wednesday, as the official grabbed the bribe—reduced to Rs 15,000 in the trap—he faced the full force of law. The red-handed catch yielded concrete evidence for prosecution.
Patwaris control the pulse of rural economies through land records, and corruption here erodes trust in government. CBI’s action reaffirms its mandate to purge such elements, protecting vulnerable citizens from official harassment.
Ongoing inquiries aim to map the extent of the racket. The agency promoted its hotline 9419900977 for J&K and Ladakh residents facing similar ordeals, positioning citizens as partners in the anti-corruption crusade.
Looking ahead, this case spotlights the urgency for tech-driven reforms like blockchain for records and AI-monitored services. Until then, public reporting remains the most potent weapon, proving once more that one complaint can topple a corrupt operator.