Mumbai Crime: Forest department staffers held in Vashi for seeking Rs 3.5 lakh bribe

Photo for representational purpose

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested three forest staffers for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 3.50 lakh from a site supervisor at Vashi in Navi Mumbai, the ACB said on Wednesday.

The trio was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act. They were remanded in the custody of the ACB till October 16.

They were identified as forester Sanjay Pawar, and forest guards Deepak Varma and Amit Rane, the ACB said in a release.

The complainant alleged that the trio went to the site in Vashi where demolition work was on and told him that the land falls within the radius of the Thane creek flamingo sanctuary and the Eco-Sensitive Zone. The Forest officials served a notice to the supervisor stating he had not taken the permission of the National Wildlife Department and the Forest Department to carry out the work, the ACB said.

The trio allegedly demanded R5 lakh and a sum of R25,000 every month for the next six months. They later agreed to accept a sum of R3,50,000 from the complainant, the ACB said.

After the complainant approached the ACB, a trap was laid by the Forest department on Tuesday evening and two forest guards were nabbed while accepting a bribe of R3,50,000 from the complainant, it said in a release. Later, forester Pawar was also arrested.