Mumbai: Bouncers hired by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) to accompany anti-encroachment drives have always been in news-mostly for wrong reasons. One such bouncer has on Tuesday landed into the custody of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The accused who have been identified as Ranjan Raut (42), a resident of Morwa village near Bhayandar was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 1,500 as bribe from a hawker on behalf of a civic employee-Ujwal Sankhe to return confiscated handcart.
According to the ACB, the complainant is a hawker who sells eatables in Bhayandar. The anti-encroachment squad of the local MBMC ward office took away his cart during a drive conducted in the area. The complainant approached the civic office with a plea to return his cart, however, Sankhe allegedly demanded Rs. 2,000 as a bribe from him for the job.
Peeved at the public servant's bribe demand, the hawker approached the ACB. After verification, the Thane unit of the ACB led by Police Inspector Suresh Chopde laid a trap and caught the bouncer after he arrived to collect the bribe amount allegedly on the behalf of the civic personnel who is still at large.
The MBMC has officially hired an agency for its services, including provision of bouncers to accompany officials during demolition drives and removing roadside vendors from no-hawking zones. Meanwhile, a case under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the duo. Further investigations were on.
