Thane: Bribe-seeking revenue official on the run as ACB nabs middleman

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An official on Friday said that a revenue official from Maharashtra's Thane district, who had demanded a bribe from a company, is absconding after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) apprehended a private person acting as his conduit, reported news agency PTI.

The firm's owners recently purchased 5 acres of land at Shenve village in Shahapur taluka and applied to talati (revenue official) Dyaneshwar Devidas Shisode to get its details updated in government records, said ACB Deputy Commissioner of Police Harshal Chavan, reported PTI.

However, Shisode demanded Rs 8 lakh through middleman Ashok Dattatraya Varkute (62) to get the work done, he said, reported PTI.

After receiving a complaint, the ACB laid a trap and nabbed Varkute on Thursday when he accepted a bag containing Rs 2 lakh cash and bundles of dummy notes, reported PTI.

However, the revenue official got wind of the ACB action and went underground, the official said.

A case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, he said, adding that efforts are being made to trace the absconding talati.

Educational institute director held for taking Rs 1.10 lakh bribe in Thane

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested the director of a well-known educational institution in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 1.10 lakh from an employee for restoring his annual increment, ACB officials said on Tuesday, reported PTI.

The person's increment was held up for two years.

For restoring it, the accused, who is the director and joint secretary of the educational institution in Shahapur taluka, allegedly demanded money, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thane ACB, Dharmaraj Sonke said in a release, reported PTI.

The person, who did not want to pay the bribe, approached the ACB with a complaint.

The ACB laid a trap and caught the accused accepting the bribe amount of Rs 1.10 lakh from the complainant at a bus stop near a school in Khinavli area on Monday, the official said, reported PTI.

An FIR was registered against the accused under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the ACB said.

(With inputs from PTI)