SRINAGAR: A District Development Council member was caught red-handed by the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000, an official spokesperson said.

The accused District Development Council (DDC) member was identified as Mohammad Shaban Chopan, a resident of Dara Harwan here.

The ACB spokesperson said the anti-graft body received a complaint from a man running a scholar boarding school along with a swimming pool and a guest house in Check Dara, Harwan here.

He said an official inspection was conducted at the site and the complainant came to know that it was arranged by Chopan.

"Thereafter, the DDC member, through his tout, namely Ghulam Mohammad Khathana, also a resident of Dara Harwan, Srinagar, demanded a bribe of Rs 5,00,000. The complainant was asked to pay Rs 50,000 as the first instalment and give a blank signed cheque," the ACB spokesperson said.

He said the complainant was further told that he should pay the remaining amount after getting the required clearances.

The complainant alleged that all this was done at the behest of Chopan to put pressure on him and find a reason to demand money from him.

Acting on the complaint, the ACB conducted a discreet verification through a designated officer. The verification report confirmed the allegations, the ACB spokesperson said.

On the basis of the complaint and the verification report, a case was registered. Subsequently, a trap team was constituted and a successful trap was laid, he said.

"During the trap operation, the accused public servant and his tout were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 50,000 and a blank signed cheque from the complainant. They were immediately apprehended," the spokesperson said.

Further investigation is ongoing, he said.