Ex-RTO officer in ACB net over illegal wealth

Officials of the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) seized assets worth crores and booked retired RTO officer Sajjad Bargir (59) and his wife Rizwana (43) for amassing wealth through illegal means. The two were taken into custody after the officials raided their flat in Gulmohar building in Green Valley Society in Wanawadi.

During the raid, officials confiscated assets worth Rs 1.63 crore. It includes half a kilogram gold and silver, receipts of fixed deposits (FD) worth Rs 40 lakh, a car and four bikes. The raid also revealed Bargir had properties in Ganj Peth in Ghorpadi, Sangli (Rs 95 lakh) and in Satara (75 lakh) and a petrol pump at Kasegaon in Pandharpur.

During his tenure at the RTO from 1974 to 2010, Sajjad was posted in Mumbai, Thane, Solapur, Nashik and Nagpur. ACB officials believe that he amassed all this wealth during his service period.

Superintendent of Police (ACB) Sarang Awad said, "An open enquiry was initiated against Bargir in 2010 in Nagpur after he lodged a theft case against his driver Pavan Asulkar, accusing him of stealing Rs 18 lakh from him. During enquiry, Bargir disclosed his assets at Rs 1.59 crore.

He retired on February 28, 2010, as an Assistant RTO in Aurangabad. The case was later handed over to the ACB. Seven teams, including officials from Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur ACB units, were formed to probe the case. The husband and wife would be arrested later, as their presence during the raid is necessary."

Big money
During the raid, officials confiscated assets worth Rs 1.63 crore. It includes half a kilogram gold and silver, receipts of fixed deposits (FD) worth Rs 40 lakh, a car and four bikes. The raid also revealed Bargir had properties in Ganj Peth in Ghorpadi, Sangli (Rs 95 lakh) and in Satara (75 lakh) and a petrol pump at Kasegaon in Pandharpur. u00a0