Ex-corporator, PCMC medical officer get 3 yrs in graft case

On May 5, 2008, Akhtar Hussain Talukdar Chaudhary (50) and PCMC medical officer Jagdish Gaikwad were arrested by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials for accepting Rs 20,000 bribe from a conservancy contractor Pralhad Rambhau Kamble at a hotel in Pimpri to clear his pending bills.

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"In 2007, Kamble was allotted the contract for ward number 36 and the contracted ended in March 2008. When Kamble approached Gaikwad and Chaudhary for his payment, they demanded Rs 20,000 to clear the bills," ACP (ACB) Hemant Bhatt said. "Kamble then had the ACB office and lodged a complaint against the duo. Based on his complaint Police Inspector Sanjay Bhamre of the ABC laid a trap and arrested Chaudhary and Gaikwad red-handed."

Bhatt said following duo's arrest, the ACB officials took permission from the PCMC to chargesheet the accused. "The then divisional commissioner (PCMC) Dilip Band scrutinised the documents, and investigated the case and gave the necessary permission to the ACB," Bhatt said.

Bhatt said the trail was on in a special court in Shivajinagar, which convicted Chaudhary and Gaikwad and sentenced the duo to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 on Tuesday. Advocate Pratap Jadhav represented the prosecution.u00a0