The class-3 employees in the government service are the key source of corruption, according to data from the Thane unit of the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB). As many as 62 out of the total 122 class-3 employees followed by 15 class-2 employees were caught on corruption till October 19.
The ACB official said that the large number of class-3 employees held for graft is the reflection of their ‘seniors’.
Lower-level employees act as mediators on orders from their superiors
In most of the cases, the arrested accused from this grade of employees act as a mediator on the command of their superior. Their senior officials are the signing authority for granting irregularities or carrying out illegitimate work. The statistics also state that in the same period last year, only 68 cases were laid by the ACB, whereas this year 18 more traps were laid by the ACB.
Sunil Lokhande, superintendent of police, Thane ACB, informed that a total of 85 traps were laid, and a total of 122 persons were arrested.
“Of the total government officials arrested, the maximum were from the police department. According to the numbers, 16 are from the police department, 15 from the revenue department, 11 from zila parishad and nine government officers,” said Lokhande.
Private individuals acting as middlemen
The officer said that the middlemen who are counted in the category of private persons or the ones who are accepting bribes on behalf of government officers are also accused.
The total number of private persons arrested is nearly 22, along with the government officers.
“These middleman or agents usually get a percentage for accepting the bribe,” said a police officer.
The police further informed that all the cases are under investigation and the exact amount of the disproportionate assets are yet to be ascertained.
Four cases of disproportionate assets are presently underway this year, last year three cases were under probe, the ACB official informed Lokhande urged the citizens to report any type of graft cases on their helpline number 1064 which is operational round the clock.
