Lakhs in salary, still hungry for bribes

Rush for bail after ACB crackdowns

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Despite drawing salaries above Rs 80,000, official vehicles, and staff support, corruption among government officers shows no signs of slowing. In just five months, 30 officials across 10 departments have been caught red-handed accepting bribes in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Two senior Revenue Department officials were trapped within just 15 days a reflection of how deep the rot runs.

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Revenue dept under the dcanner

Leading the corruption charts is the Revenue Department. High-ranking officers like Resident Deputy Collector Vinod Khiroalkar and Additional Tehsildar Nitin Garje, along with agents, were caught in ACB’s net in quick succession.

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Department-wise traps (Jan–May):

Department Trap Accused

Revenue 7 14

Police 3 3

MSEDCL (Electricity Board) 2 2

Panchayat Samiti 2 2

Education 1 2

PWD 1 2

Rural Development 1 1

Municipal Corporation 1 2

Municipal Council 1 1

RTO 1 1

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Seniors not spared

Among the accused are three Class-I and one Class-II officers from the Revenue Department, and a senior PWD official. Many junior staff were found collecting bribes on behalf of their superiors.

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The Bail Rush

Many accused officers go underground after raids. Additional Tehsildar Nitin Garje, for instance, fled with his family and later sought anticipatory bail, which the ACB is contesting in court.

How Citizens Can Report Bribery

• Email: acbwebmail@mahapolice.gov.in

• Website: www.acbmaharashtra.net

• Helpline: 1064

“We act only after verifying solid evidence. Citizens can easily file complaints online or in person.”

— Sandeep Atole, Superintendent, ACB