Pune: ACB Detains Three PMRDA Officials While Receiving Rs 50 Thousand Bribe
Pune: A shocking case has come to light in Pune, where a bribe of Rs 50,000 was demanded to pay the installment of one and a half lakh rupees approved for a house under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana. In the trap set up by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), a private person was caught while accepting a bribe of Rs 50 thousand along with two junior engineers of PMRDA.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Tejas Sampat Taware (age 32, junior engineer), Hemant Lalaso Wandhekar (age 29, engineer), both posted at the PMRDA Office in Akurdi, Pimpri Chinchwad, and Ramdas alias Babu Maruti Katke (age 48), a resident of Bhivari, Purandar.
As per the police information, the plaintiff had applied for a Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the name of his father. Under this scheme, the complainant was sanctioned a grant of Rs. 2.5 lakh for housing. Out of which, the first installment of Rs. 1 lakh was deposited in the complainant’s bank account, and the remaining installment of Rs. 1.5 lakh was due.
To sanction the remaining 1.5 lakh rupees to the plaintiff, Hemant Wandhekar and Ramdas Katke demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 from him. After that, the plaintiff approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Accordingly, ACB laid a trap at Hotel Siddheshwar in front of the Saswad bus stand on Wednesday and subsequently detained three people while accepting 50 thousand rupees from the plaintiff.
Saswad police arrested all three accused, and Police Inspector Prasad Lonare is investigating further into the case.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe and Additional Superintendent of Police Dr. Sheetal Janve have appealed to the people to immediately contact the ACB if a government official, employee, or private agent demands a bribe other than the legal fee for doing any government work.
