Jammu Tawi: Director, Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Shakti Kumar Pathak has said that corruption continues to remain one of the biggest challenges to governance in Jammu and Kashmir, but asserted that increasing public complaints indicate rising trust in anti-corruption institutions.
He said the bureau is committed to acting on credible complaints against corrupt officials at any level, stressing that public cooperation is crucial in tackling corruption across Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking in an interview podcast, Director Pathak, as reported by the news agency—, said the fight against corruption cannot be carried out by investigative agencies alone and requires active participation from citizens.
“Corruption cannot be the responsibility of one agency alone. It is the duty of the public as well. Until people decide that they do not want to be involved in corruption, the problem will continue,” he said.
Pathak said the growing number of complaints received by the ACB reflects greater confidence among citizens that their grievances will be addressed.
Post-2019 framework strengthened anti-corruption system
The ACB Director said the anti-corruption system in the region has strengthened following the 2019 reorganisation of J&K, as the vigilance framework is now aligned with national laws and institutions.
He said the bureau now operates under the national vigilance structure linked with the Central Vigilance Commission, making the legal framework comparable to the rest of the country.
Awareness drives to encourage complaints
Pathak said the ACB has also increased public outreach programmes to make citizens aware of complaint mechanisms and the role of vigilance institutions.
He said the bureau organised several programmes during Vigilance Awareness Week, held around the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31, with the theme “Vigilance is Shared Responsibility”.
ACB not biased against lower-rank officials
Responding to criticism that the ACB acts more aggressively against lower-rank officials while remaining passive against bureaucrats or politicians, Pathak said the perception is incorrect.
He explained that most trap cases involve lower-rank officials because they are typically the ones dealing directly with cash transactions.
Verification before trap operations
Pathak said the bureau follows a strict verification process before initiating trap operations to ensure complaints are genuine and not motivated.
He said a separate team conducts secret verification of both the complainant and the accused official before proceeding further.
Safeguards against false complaints
The ACB Director acknowledged that false or malicious complaints do occur and said the bureau has mechanisms to prevent innocent officials from being framed. He said anonymous and pseudonymous complaints are generally not entertained in accordance with government guidelines.
However, Pathak added that in rare cases where allegations appear credible and involve officials with questionable reputations, the bureau may conduct limited verification.
Recruitment and governance processes
On allegations surrounding recruitment irregularities, including issues related to the Fire and Emergency Services recruitment case, Pathak said that most government systems are designed properly, but sometimes fail during implementation.
J&K Bank scam under investigation
When asked about the alleged large-scale scam involving Jammu and Kashmir Bank, the Director ACB said the case remains under investigation, and the agency is progressing with the probe.
Viral trap videos not released by ACB
Pathak addressed concerns about videos of trap cases going viral on social media. He said the ACB does not release such videos and ensures that operations are conducted discreetly.
Action after trap cases
According to Pathak, officials caught in trap cases are arrested and suspended in accordance with legal provisions.
He said departmental inquiries are also conducted simultaneously. However, he acknowledged that the lengthy legal process sometimes results in accused employees being reassigned to different posts while the trial continues.
Joint surprise checks and verifications
The Director said the bureau also conducts Joint Surprise Checks (JSCs) in cases involving allegations such as substandard construction or misuse of public funds.
In such cases, ACB teams conduct inspections along with officials from the concerned department to examine records, verify documents and collect samples if necessary.
‘Public support essential to fight corruption’
Reiterating the need for citizen participation, the Director ACB said the fight against corruption will become stronger only when people actively refuse to participate in corrupt practices. “If citizens come forward with complaints and support investigations, corruption can be tackled more effectively,” he said—(KNO).
