Aurangabad, Aug 30:
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) squad caught red-handed a talathi and his colleague while accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 from a complainant to avoid making entry into 7/12 land document as per the orders of the state's revenue ministry.
Khuldabad police station has registered a case against the talathi of Rajarai Takali (Sajja) Kailas Tuliram Kuber and one Rajesh Tavji Bande (a resident of Radhaswamy Colony on Jatwada Road).
According to ACB sources, the complainant was having a dispute over land at Raja Rai Takali (in Khuldabad tehsil). The matter was heard in the state's revenue ministry, but the decision went against him on July 18. As a result, he filed an appeal in the High Court challenging the ministry's decision on August 23. The copy of the appeal was served to the talathi, circle officer and Khuldabad's tehsildar. Despite knowing it, the accused demanded a bribe of Rs 25,000 from the complainant against not making entry into the 7/12 document as per the revenue ministry's decision. Hence the complainant approached the ACB.
After verifying the facts, the ACB officials lay a trap near SBI Bank, opposite Khuldabad Panchayat Samiti. Kuber accepted the token amount of Rs 15,000 and then handed it over to Rajesh Bande. The ACB officials pounced on them after accepting the money.
Under the guidance of the superintendent of police (SP) Rahul Khade, in charge additional SP Roopchand Waghmare, the action was taken by Reshma Saudagar, Prakash Ghughre, Rajendra Sinkar, Ashok Nagargoje and Chandrakant Shinde.