Mumbai: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials have arrested a man for soliciting a bribe to alter income details on a ration card. The accused, Anand Gurav, was caught demanding money from Ulwe, Navi Mumbai resident in exchange for reducing the income recorded on his father’s ration card from Rs 80,000 to Rs 40,000.
The complainant, whose father, a former taxi driver, currently has no income, visited the ration department at the Tehsil Office in Panvel on July 29 to update the income details. He was informed that no new income record could be processed. Gurav, who was at the office, demanded Rs 4,500 to facilitate the change.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant reported the incident to the ACB on August 21. The ACB verified the complaint and confirmed the bribery allegations. A trap was set, leading to Gurav’s arrest while accepting the bribe. The ACB is investigating whether Gurav had any connections with the rationing department officials.
A case has been registered under section 7A (taking undue advantage to influence public servants by corrupt or illegal means or by exercise of personal influence) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
