Engineer caught taking Rs 8,000 bribe; ACB conducts raid at Panchayat Samiti office

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) caught a technical officer (engineer) red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 at the Panchayat Samiti office in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

The accused, Akash Ambegave, a native of Samuthana village in Udgir tehsil, Latur district, allegedly demanded the bribe from a farmer to approve a pending bill of Rs 1.71 lakh for skilled labour under the MNREGA scheme. According to ACB officials, the farmer had constructed a well under the employment guarantee scheme. Of the total Rs 4 lakh bill, Rs 2.29 lakh for unskilled work had already been sanctioned, while Rs 1.71 lakh for skilled work remained pending. Ambegave reportedly demanded Rs 15,000 to release the remaining amount, which was later negotiated to Rs 8,000. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the farmer approached the ACB, which verified the complaint and laid a trap. During the operation, inspector Chainsing Gusinge, along with officers caught Ambegave red-handed while accepting the money. He was immediately taken into custody, and a case was registered at City Chowk police station.

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House search continues late into the night

The ACB team continued searching the accused’s residence late into the night. The quantity of assets or documents seized during the raid has not yet been disclosed. The operation was carried out under the supervision of superintendent of police Madhuri Kedar-Kangne.