MSEDCL lineman caught red-handed demanding Rs 5,000 bribe

Installation of new metre for shop in Sajapur

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A lineman working for Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) Waluj office, Sheikh Rafiq Mohammad (42, Baijipura), was apprehended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday for demanding a bribe of Rs 5,000 in exchange for a new meter installation.

According to information, the complainant from Bajajnagar leased land for business purposes in Sajapur and approached the Waluj-2 office of MSEDCL seeking a new electricity connection. After completing the necessary paperwork, he was directed to lineman Sheikh Rafiq for further assistance. Rafiq demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 to provide the meter, prompting the complainant to file a complaint with the ACB on April 12.

Acting on the complaint, a team under the guidance of superintendent of police Deepak Atole, PI Amol Dhas set a trap for Rafiq in Waluj industrial area on Wednesday. Around 1 pm, Rafiq accepted the bribe of Rs 5,000 but grew suspicious and attempted to flee the scene, discarding the money in the process. He was apprehended by the ACB team, and a case has been registered against him at the MIDC Waluj police station.