A corruption case involving officials of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has sparked significant attention in Jammu and Kashmir after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) formally registered an FIR against an Executive Engineer, who was also holding additional charge as In-Charge Superintending Engineer (SE), and a peon of the civic body. While one of the accused has already been arrested during a trap operation, the senior engineer is reportedly absconding and efforts are underway to trace him.
According to investigation documents, the case originated from a complaint filed by a contractor. The complainant alleged that his firm had been awarded a project in April 2025 for the installation of a 9-metre-high mast pole and a 200-watt high mast light at Saderbal Chowk in Srinagar. The contractor claimed that the work was completed within the stipulated timeline and that the bill for payment was duly submitted to the department. However, the payment process allegedly remained stalled because the required agreement had not been signed by the concerned Executive Engineer.
India’s Airport Security Could Soon Be Powered by AI and Facial Recognition
The contractor alleged that when he met Executive Engineer Sajad Kawoosa on June 18, 2026, to discuss the pending matter, the officer demanded a bribe of ₹10,000 in exchange for signing the agreement and facilitating the processing of the bill. Unwilling to pay the alleged bribe, the contractor approached the CBI and submitted a written complaint seeking action against the officials involved.
Following the complaint, the CBI initiated a verification exercise. According to the agency, the preliminary verification established evidence of a demand for ₹5,000. Investigators allegedly found that Sajad Hussain Bhat, a peon posted in the office of the Executive Engineer of the Left River Works Division of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, was acting as an intermediary in the transaction. The agency further alleged that the demand for illegal gratification was made in conspiracy with Executive Engineer Sajad Kawoosa and that the senior official had communicated his approval through gestures.
After completing the verification process, the CBI planned and executed a trap operation. Agency officials monitored the transaction and allegedly caught Sajad Hussain Bhat red-handed while accepting ₹5,000 from the complainant. He was immediately taken into custody and subjected to further questioning as part of the investigation.
Subsequently, the CBI conducted searches at the residence of Sajad Kawoosa in Srinagar. However, the officer could not be located during the raid. Sources associated with the investigation indicated that he is currently absconding and allegedly attempting to evade arrest. Investigators have launched efforts to trace his whereabouts and are examining his recent movements and contacts.
Based on the findings of the verification and trap proceedings, the CBI registered a formal case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators are now examining whether additional individuals may have played a role in the alleged bribery arrangement or in delaying the contractor’s payment process.
The case has attracted particular attention because Sajad Kawoosa was publicly honoured earlier this year for his distinguished and meritorious services in public administration and service delivery. The emergence of serious corruption allegations against an officer who had recently received official recognition has intensified discussions about accountability and transparency within public institutions.
The CBI has stated that its investigation remains ongoing and that all aspects of the case are being examined. Efforts to locate and apprehend the absconding officer continue, while investigators seek to determine the full extent of the alleged conspiracy and whether similar practices may have occurred in other official transactions.
