ACB Trap Exposes Panvel Circle Officer In Bribery Case

Navi Mumbai: A circle officer attached to the Panvel tehsil office was caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 for approving mutation entries on a land’s 7/12 extract in Panvel on Tuesday evening. During the operation, the ACB also recovered Rs 3.10 lakh in unaccounted cash from the accused officer’s car, officials said.

The accused, identified as Govardhan Nana Mane (49), was arrested by the Raigad unit of the ACB after he allegedly accepted the bribe amount near Shivshambho Naka in Panvel. A case has been registered against him at Panvel City police station under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

According to the ACB, the complainant and his wife had purchased a plot of land at Gavdevi Pada in Panvel and had applied for mutation of their names on the 7/12 extract. Mane had allegedly initially demanded Rs 50,000 for approving the entry. The complainant later approached the Raigad ACB unit on May 16 and lodged a complaint.

After verification conducted on May 18 and 19, the ACB confirmed that Mane had agreed to accept Rs 30,000 as bribe — Rs 20,000 for himself and Rs 10,000 allegedly for another employee involved in processing the approval.

“During verification, it was found that the accused had reduced the demand amount from Rs 50,000 to Rs 30,000 after negotiations with the complainant,” an ACB officer said.

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Based on the verification, a trap was laid under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police Sarita Bhosale and Police Inspector Nishant Dhanwade near Mithas Sweets, close to Panchmukhi Mandir at Shivshambho Naka in Panvel on Tuesday evening. At around 6.10 pm, Mane allegedly accepted the bribe amount from the complainant, following which the ACB team apprehended him on the spot.

Following the arrest, officials conducted a search and recovered Rs 11,290 in cash from Mane’s person. A detailed search of his car led to the seizure of Rs 3.10 lakh in unaccounted cash. Mobile phones and important documents related to the case were also seized by the ACB.

Officials said searches were also being carried out at the accused officer’s residence in Arihant Building in Khopoli as part of the ongoing investigation. The operation has created a stir within revenue department circles in Panvel.

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