Avinash Azad
In a remarkable show of commitment to justice for the unheard and marginalized, the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), under the leadership of Director Shakti Pathak, has scripted a bold chapter in its fight against corruption.
In what may sound surprising but is a testament to ACB’s resolve, a police sub-inspector and a driver posted at the Police Post Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu—under the jurisdiction of Police Station Bakshi Nagar—were caught red-handed while extorting money from a street vendor.
The ACB received a complaint from a street vendor alleging that PSI Murtaza Rehman, Incharge Police Post GMC Jammu, and his driver/SPO Himanshu Sharma, had demanded illegal gratification in exchange for allowing the complainant to run a Rehari (street cart) at the exit gate of GMC Jammu.
Refusing to yield to corruption, the complainant approached the ACB for legal action. Acting swiftly, the bureau conducted discreet verification, which confirmed the bribery demand. Consequently, FIR No. 06/2025 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, was registered at Police Station ACB Jammu, and formal investigation was initiated.
A trap team led by a Gazetted Officer was constituted. In a meticulously planned operation, both PSI Murtaza Rehman and SPO Himanshu Sharma were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹13,000 from the complainant.
The trap was executed in the presence of independent witnesses, and the bribe money was recovered on the spot. The accused were immediately arrested following due legal procedures. Simultaneously, searches were conducted at the residential premises of both accused in the presence of Magistrates and independent witnesses.
Further investigation is underway. The ACB’s swift and bold action in similar cases in recent past underscores a turning point in the fight against grassroots-level corruption. Once considered a “toothless tiger” when it operated as the State Vigilance Organization with limited and selective reach, the ACB has now transformed under Shakti Pathak’s leadership into a proactive and fearless anti-graft body.
The agency’s unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law—especially for voiceless citizens like street vendors—marks a new era of accountability and justice in Jammu and Kashmir. Under Pathak’s stewardship, the sky appears to be the only limit for ACB J&K.
