24 October,2017 11:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Faisal Tandel
Anti-Corruption Bureau arrests two for demanding a bribe from contractor tasked with pre-monsoon nullah cleaning; third involved to be held soon
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Navi Mumbai has arrested two officials from the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) for demanding a bribe from a contractor to clear his bill of pre-monsoon nullah cleaning.
KDMC peon Vijay Gaikwad is one of the arrested
The arrested have been identified as Sadashiv Hema Thakare, a Class III sanitary inspector, and Vijay Kashinath Gaikwad, a peon in the labour of sanitary department. Sanjay Dhatrak, another Class III sanitary inspector, who is also involved, is yet to be arrested.
The complainant, Ravi Gaikwad, 46, a civil contractor, alleged that he carried out pre-monsoon cleaning of medium-sized nullahs in areas in the corporation's jurisdiction, completing the work in July and submitting a bill of R14.20 lakh.
"Since July, I had been chasing them to sign on the bill, but they kept dilly-dallying. After a while, they signed on one of the pages of the bill and then demanded Rs 60,000 for signatures on the other. I still kept pursuing them to do it⦠they assured me that they would do it if I would at least pay them Rs 40,000," added Ravi.
Also read: Mumbai: Cop booked for demanding Rs 2.50 lakh as bribe to go slow
He claimed that he then decided to lay a trap, and KDMC ward A was decided as a meeting point on Monday. "However, they got suspicious and asked me to come near Shahad. Thakre and Vijay came to take the money, while Dhatrak was coordinating over the phone for his share. I gave them R20,000; the two were caught red-handed pocketing it," added Ravi.
A case has been registered at Khadakpada police station in Kalyan West under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
A senior ACB officer said, "Two have been arrested; the third was coordinating over the phone. We are checking the call details. We are also probing if a fourth person is involved."
Rs 40k
Amount the accused demanded to clear the bill
You may also like to read: Photos: Namrata Purohit trains the hot and sexy Malaika Arora
