CBI Arrests Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer and Two Others in Rs 15,000 Bribery Case:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended three accused in an Rs 15,000 bribery case. The accused include a Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO) and an Agricultural Extension Assistant (AEA) of the Agriculture Department, Govt. of J&K, and a private person.

The CBI had registered a case against the accused Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO) of the Agriculture Department, Govt. of J&K on September 19, 2026, for demanding Rs 35,000 from the complainant. The bribe was demanded in return for releasing the complainant's subsidy under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) scheme.

After negotiation, the accused agreed to accept Rs 15,000. The complainant was instructed by the accused SDAO to hand over the bribe either to AEA (Agricultural Extension Assistant) or to a private person.

Subsequent to the case registration, the CBI laid down a trap to catch the accused Agricultural Extension Assistant (AEA) and the private person red-handed while accepting the bribe amount of Rs 15,000 from the complainant. After a search, officials found the third accused, the Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer, at his residence, and he was immediately arrested.

According to the CBI's press release, further investigation in the present matter is ongoing.