Maharashtra: Forest Official Booked By ACB For Disproportionate Assets; 22 Cases Registered This Year Involving ₹16.46 Crore

The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case of disproportionate assets against a forest officer, currently posted at Palghar for allegedly amassing 83 percent disproportionate assets more than his known source of income. From January till September this year, the state ACB registered 22 cases related to disproportionate assets against corrupt public servants and private persons.

According to the ACB sources, in 2020, the accused public servant D.R. Korewar, the then Forest Officer at Wadsa in Gadchiroli was caught red-handed by the ACB officials for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1.75 lakh from the complainant by misusing his official position. A case was also registered in this regard at the Korchi police station in Gadchiroli. An open inquiry was then initiated against the accused public servant.

From the open inquiry, the investigating officer of the ACB learnt that the said public servant was found to have amassed Rs 66 lakh worth assets which was more than the known and legal income of his income. A case has been registered by the ACB against Korewar under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. In connection with the said case, the ACB officials had conducted a house search of Korewar, Forest Range Officer at Ramnagar, Gadchiroli and also at his current accommodation at Wada in Palghar.

The statistics provided by the Maharashtra ACB has revealed that from January till September 19 this year, 22 cases related to disproportionate assets against corrupt public servants and private persons were registered. These cases were registered against officials from the Revenue and Land Records department, Municipal Corporations, Zilla Parishad and the Education Department among other departments.

The total amount of money involved in these 22 cases is Rs 16.46 crore, of which Rs 3.72 crore were related to the officials of the Revenue and Land Records department, followed by the Municipal Corporation officials (Rs 3.45 crore), Public Health Department officials (Rs 1.63 crore), Agriculture Department officials (Rs 1.51 crore) and Education Department (Rs 1.39 crore), statistics revealed.

Disproportionate assets case statistics

22 - Cases registered this year

44 - Total people involved in these cases

Rs 16.46 crore - Total amount involved in these cases