BHIMBER (Kashmir English): A fresh development has come to light in an ongoing bribery case involving a suspended junior clerk in Bhimber. The accused, Asif Riaz, who was already under investigation, is now being accused of taking an additional Rs 1.3 million from a local citizen in exchange for completing land documentation.
According to the spokesperson of the Deputy Commissioner Office Bhimber, the clerk, who served in the Tehsildar Office of the Revenue Department, was already facing inquiries over corruption. The case took a serious turn when Muhammad Anwar, a resident of Bernala, submitted a written complaint and sworn affidavit to the Deputy Commissioner, stating that Asif Riaz demanded a bribe for processing his land documents.
The Bribery case complainant stated that Rs 800,000 was initially paid in Bernala in the presence of two witnesses. Later, the clerk claimed the land case was complicated due to the involvement of individuals from Kotli, Mirpur, and Jhelum, who also needed to be paid. Based on this excuse, he allegedly collected another Rs 500,000.
In response to the complaint, Deputy Commissioner Bhimber has appointed Assistant Commissioner Bernala as the inquiry officer and directed that a detailed report be submitted within 14 days.
In response to the serious allegations in this bribery case, Deputy Commissioner Chaudhry Haq Nawaz has appointed the Assistant Commissioner Bernala as the inquiry officer. A complete report has been requested within 14 days.
The Deputy Commissioner assured the public that the matter would be handled with full transparency. He emphasized that, under the vision of Azad Kashmir’s Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, no corrupt official would be spared. “We are committed to providing relief to the people and taking strict action against those involved in bribery,” he stated.
