Mumbai: The Mumbai division of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested three engineers, from Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) after they were trapped demanding a bribe of Rs 6 lakh to clear renovation work at her residence on Wednesday. A staffer, who used to collect bribe on their behalf, was also arrested. According to police sources, the complainant, an interior designer, had approached the engineers at SRA office to get clearance for a few renovations in his project.
The accused, identified as executive engineer Pralhad Mahishi, assistant engineer Dhananjay Suryavanshi and sub-engineer Chandrashekhar Dighavkar had demanded a bribe of Rs 6 lakh from the interior designer to pass the clearance. After negotiations, the demand was brought down to Rs 4.5 lakh, wherein engineers would get Rs 1.5 lakh each. According to investigators, the complainant did not want to pay the bribe and hence he approached the ACB and lodged a complaint against the SRA engineers. The officials verified the complaint on Tuesday and asked the complainant to fix the meeting on Wednesday. Accordingly, a trap was set near Bandra, where Mahishi’s office staffer, Harish Patkar had come to accept the bribe. Police officials immediately arrested Patkar, who led them to his bosses – Mahishi, Suryavanshi and Dighavkar. All the accused were booked and arrested under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
