Lokayukta Traps West Discom Engineer While Accepting ₹40,000 Bribe In Indore

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Lokayukta Special Police Establishment (SPE), Indore unit caught a junior engineer (JE) of West Discom red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000.

The suspect, identified as Namesh Kumar Bhondekar, currently posted at the Sukhliya zone office, had allegedly demanded the money to clear and forward a file regarding the installation of a solar panel system at a commercial property.

The action was taken based on a formal complaint lodged on July 17 by Shivprakash Baswal, a builder and hotelier residing in the Pardeshipura area.

Baswal had approached West Discom to install a 15kW solar panel system at his establishment, GR-7 Hotel, near Maruti Nagar.

However, JE Bhondekar allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 80,000 to process and forward the installation application.

Following the complaint, Lokayukta SP Rajesh Sahay verified it, confirming the alleged bribe demand. A trap was subsequently planned under the leadership of inspector Sachin Pateriya.

On Saturday, the team laid a trap at the assistant engineer's office in Sukhliya. The moment the complainant handed over the first instalment of Rs 40,000, the junior engineer allegedly stashed the cash inside his office desk drawer.

The waiting Lokayukta team immediately moved in, caught the official red-handed and recovered the tainted currency from the drawer.

According to inspector Pateriya, the engineer has been in government service since 2013. He has been posted at the Sukhliya zone for the past three years after serving in the Khajrana zone.

Following the trap, the Lokayukta registered a case against Bhondekar under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act. Further investigation is underway.

Published on: Sunday, July 19, 2026, 02:45 AM IST