Palghar, Maharashtra, Feb 12: The Palghar unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) caught two Gram Revenue Officers red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹10,000 in Jawhar taluka of Palghar district.
The accused officials have been identified as Gajanan Nagesh Johare (40), posted at Jamsar, and Sitaram Vishnu Indhan (25), posted at Hiradpada. Both are Class-III government employees working as village-level revenue officers.
Bribe demand over sand transportation
According to the ACB, the complainant, a 37-year-old man, had received approval for a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. For the construction of the sanctioned house, he was transporting sand from the Lendi River on February 10 when the officials allegedly intercepted his tractor near Dadar Kopra village.
The officials reportedly threatened to initiate action for illegal sand transportation and demanded a bribe of ₹40,000 to release the vehicle without seizure. The complainant allegedly paid ₹20,000 immediately, after which the officers demanded the remaining amount by the afternoon of February 11, warning that the tractor would be confiscated if payment was not made.
ACB lays trap, arrests accused
Unwilling to pay further bribes, the complainant approached the Palghar ACB office on February 11 and lodged a formal complaint.
During verification, it was found that the officials agreed to accept ₹10,000 as a settlement amount. Acting on this, the ACB laid a trap on the evening of February 11. The officials were caught red-handed while accepting the bribe in the presence of independent witnesses.
A case is being registered at Jawhar Police Station under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amended 2018), Sections 7, 7A and 12. Further investigation is underway.
The operation was conducted by an ACB trap team led by Police Inspector Rakesh Dange, under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police Dadaramp Karande.
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ACB appeals to citizens to report corruption
The ACB has appealed to citizens to come forward fearlessly and report incidents of bribery. “No person who demands or accepts a bribe will be spared under any circumstances. Legal action will be taken without hesitation,” the department stated.
Citizens can contact the Palghar ACB unit through WhatsApp on 8857971064 to report corruption-related complaints.
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