Anti-corruption sweep: Two bribery cases uncovered in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The Anti-Corruption Department has successfully caught multiple individuals accepting bribes in two separate operations within the district.

In the first case, Nikhil Ashok Kavade (33), Sub-Divisional Officer, Water Conservation, Vaijapur, was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 7,000 from a complainant who runs a tours and travel agency supplying vehicles to the district council. Kavade had demanded Rs 10,000 to process pending rental bills for a Bolero vehicle, including signatures on the MB Book, Log Book, and Contingency Bills, before sending them for approval to the main office. During the trap conducted in the presence of government witnesses, Kavade accepted Rs 7,000 online via PhonePe. Police sub-inspector Balasaheb Shinde and police ispector Valmik Kore of the Anti-Corruption Department carried out the operation. Police have begun raiding Kavade’s residence and have filed a case at the Vaijapur police station. In a separate operation, two public servants were caught accepting a bribe from a complainant in Kinhi, Soygaon. The accused are Mansaram Lokhande, Police Patil, and Santosh Shelke (43), a private individual. Officials said the complainant was asked to pay Rs 5,000 to resolve a domestic dispute and prevent filing of a police complaint. During the trap, Santosh Shelke accepted Rs 3,000 as partial payment at Ashok Narayan Bhoi’s tea and water hotel in Donger Kinhi village. The operation was led by Inspector Keshav Dinde and Inspector Yogesh Shinde. Mansaram Lokhande remains absconding, and police are raiding his residence while filing a case at the Soygaon police station.

Bribery Details:

• Kavade: Demanded Rs 10,000, accepted Rs 7,000 via PhonePe; purpose processing pending rental bills of a hired vehicle for the district council.

• Lokhande & Shelke: Demanded Rs 5,000, accepted Rs 3,000; purpose to resolve a domestic dispute and prevent complaint registration at the police station.

Officials confirmed that further investigations by the Anti-Corruption Department in both cases are ongoing.