Nashik: ACB Catches Deputy Commissioner Of Animal Husbandry Department Accepting ₹5,000 Bribe

Nashik: The Nashik Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Prashant Ramesh Dharmadhikari (aged 58), the Deputy Commissioner of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department, while he was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹5,000. The bribe was demanded in exchange for signing a certificate verifying the proper utilisation of government funds granted for a cowshed.

A case regarding this matter has been registered at the Satpur Police Station. The complainant is a trustee of the 'Maungiri Gaushala' (Cowshed), which is operated by the 'Shri Sant Janardan Swami Seva Sanskarita Sanstha.' This cowshed houses 70 cows. Under the Maharashtra Government's maintenance scheme, the cowshed had received a grant of ₹3,44,250 on March 27.

How Did the Case Come to Light?

Deputy Commissioner Dr Prashant Dharmadhikari initially demanded a bribe of ₹41,000 to sign the required certificate. When the complainant refused to pay the bribe, they filed a complaint at the ACB office. After verifying the authenticity of the complaint, the ACB team set up a trap at the Deputy Commissioner's office on March 26. Dr Dharmadhikari was caught red-handed while accepting the agreed-upon bribe amount of ₹5,000.

ACB's Operation

The operation was conducted by a team working under the guidance of Nashik ACB Superintendent Bharat Tangde and Additional Superintendents Madhav Reddy and Sunil Dorge. Trap Officer Police Inspector Rahul Kumar Naik, along with Police Constables Prafull Mali and Vilas Nikam, successfully executed the operation. Deputy Superintendent Swati Pawar is currently conducting further investigations into this case.

Clarification Issued by the ACB

ACB officials stated that they had received a complaint alleging that a bribe was demanded in exchange for issuing a certificate verifying the proper utilisation of government grant funds. The trap operation was successful thanks to the cooperation of the complainant. A case has been registered against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

This incident has once again sparked a discussion regarding the issue of corruption within the administration of the Nashik district. The revelation that an official from the Animal Husbandry Department was accepting bribes has triggered outrage among the general public. The ACB has assured that it will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter to identify and reach other officials involved.