Sub-divisional officer held for accepting Rs 8.50L bribe

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad

The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) caught a sub-division officer and a clerk red-handed while accepting a bribe on behalf of the managing director of Rs 8.5 lakh for clearing a bill of a contractor from Parbhani worth Rs 1.37 lakh at the water conservation department office on Monday evening. The officer and the clerk have been identified as Rishikesh Pralhad Deshmukh (34) and Bhausaheb Dadarao Gore (both water conservation department, Aurangabad).

According to the information given by ACB SP Sandeep Atole, the contractor built two Kolhapuri weirs in the name of Chaudeshwari Construction Company, Parbhani at Gawali Pimpli (Sonpeth, Parbhani) and Govindpur (Purna, Parbhani). The bill for both works was Rs 1.19 crores.

Deshmukh demanded 7.5 percent of the total bill amounting to Rs 8.03 lakh for managing director Sunil Kushire and Rs 50,000 for the other employees of the office, all amounting to Rs 8.53 lakh.

As the complainant was not willing to give the bribe, he lodged a complaint with ACB. Jalna ACB squad inspector Shankar Mutekar laid a trap opposite the water conservation department in the district collectorate and nabbed Deshmukh and Gore red-handed while accepting the bribe. Deshmukh was counting money in his luxurious car when the ACB squad nabbed him. A case has been registered with the City Chowk police station. The action was executed under the guidance of SP Sandeep Atole, additional SP Vishal Khambe by PI Mutekar, head constable Gajanan Kamble and others.

Land record deputy superintendent arrested

In another incident, Aurangabad ACB squad caught a deputy superintendent of land record office of Gangapur Saloba Laxman Vetal (51) while accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 on Monday.

Vetal had demanded Rs 40,000 for the measurement of the farmland but the deal was fixed at Rs 35,000. The complainant lodged a complaint. ACB squad led by deputy SP Gorakh Gangurde laid a trap and arrested Vetal while accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. A case has been registered with Gangapur police station.