Maharashtra: ACB arrests BMC engineer for accepting Rs 8.5 lakh to spare illegal house from demolition

Maharashtra’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested two persons, including an engineer from Mumbai civic body BMC for accepting a bribe of Rs 8.5 lakh to protect an illegal house from demolition, an official said.

The BMC on January 16 sent a demolition notice to the owner of the 2-storey house in suburban Bandra saying the structure was unauthorised, said the ACB official.

The owner met junior engineer Mohan Rathod of the local ward (H/West) who first demanded Rs 15 lakh to spare the property but brought it down to Rs 9 lakh after negotiation, he said.

After being approached by the house owner on Monday, the ACB laid a trap and arrested Rathod as he accepted Rs 8.5 lakh from the complainant through a private person, said the official.