Jammu, March 17 The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jammu and Kashmir arrested a meter reader from the Power Development Department (PDD) in the Rajouri district on Tuesday for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a consumer, officials said.
An ACB spokesperson said that a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against Arif Iqbal, who was posted as a meter reader in PDD Rajouri, based on a written complaint.
He said that the complainant received a bill for the period from December 31, 2025, to January 31, 2026, amounting to Rs 2,497. The accused allegedly demanded Rs 50,000 to "manage" the billing, threatening that the amount would otherwise be inflated.
The meter reader later delivered another bill for Rs 1,53,890 for the period from January 31 to February 28, 2026, with a payment due date of March 27, 2026, and again demanded Rs 50,000 to adjust the amount, the spokesperson added.
The demand was subsequently reduced to Rs 30,000.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB, which laid a trap. The accused was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 30,000 from the complainant and was arrested on the spot, the spokesperson said.
Searches were also conducted at the accused's residence in Rajouri, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.