New Delhi [India], June 10 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested the Additional Divisional Commissioner of Pune Division for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs eight lakh to award higher compensation to farmers whose lands are being acquired for highway projects, the agency said.
The CBI further said that in the searches conducted at Anil Ramod, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer's premises, the agency recovered cash of Rs six crore along with papers of 14 immovable properties.
As per the CBI, Ramod also holds the position of the Arbitrator for Pune, Satara and Solapur districts for cases of land acquisition under the National Highways Act.
"It was alleged that the Complainant was looking after the land acquisition law-related cases of farmers from Satara and Solapur Districts. It was further alleged that farmers from the villages were seeking higher compensation for their land and the Complainant was representing their cases for getting higher compensation before the Office of Additional Divisional Commissioner and also Arbitrator for Satara, Pune and Solapur Districts, as per the National Highways Act," the CBI said in a statement.
The accused had allegedly kept the complainant's cases pending and when the complainant approached him in this regard, he demanded an undue advantage of 10 per cent of the amount of the increased compensation, the CBI said.
"It was also alleged that the accused demanded Rs 10 lakh from the Complainant for the increased compensation of around 1.25 crore(approx) and finally settled for Rs. 8 lahks," it added.
After an initial inquiry into the bribe demand, the CBI laid a trap and caught Ramod red-handed while allegedly accepting the bribe amount. Subsequently, searches were conducted at the official and residential premises of Ramod at three locations in Pune which led to the recovery of the cash and property-related documents of 14 immovable assets registered in his own and family members' names along with investment and bank account details and other incriminating documents.
The arrested accused will be produced on Saturday before the Competent Court at Shivajinagar, Pune(Maharashtra).
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