Navi Mumbai: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Navi Mumbai arrested two engineers from MSEDCL’s Bhigari office in Panvel on Friday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1.84 lakh from a civil contractor. The arrested individuals have been identified as Sandeep Annasaheb Daware (45), Deputy Executive Engineer, and Prathamesh Navchandra Chougule (35), Junior Engineer.
The complainant, Maharugdra Shelke, is a civil contractor representing Palkar Firm, which was assigned two civil projects by MSEDCL’s Panvel Bhigari office. Shelke had received payment for one of the projects in March, but the bill for the second project was still pending.
According to Shelke, engineers Chougule and Daware informed him that they would conduct a site visit and approve the second bill. However, they demanded a bribe of Rs 92,000 each — totaling Rs 1.84 lakh — for processing both bills. Following this demand, Shelke filed a written complaint with the Navi Mumbai Anti-Corruption Bureau.
“Upon verification, we found that both engineers had indeed solicited the bribe. Acting on the complaint, we set up a trap and nabbed the engineers,” a police officer from Navi Mumbai ACB unit said.
The operation was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Nitin Dalvi, Navi Mumbai ACB Unit. During the operation, both Chougule and Daware were caught red-handed accepting Rs1.84 lakh from Shelke. Subsequently, an offence was registered against the two at the Panvel City Police Station under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and both were taken into custody.
