Nashik: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Nashik, arrested three individuals, including a gram sevak and the husband of a sarpanch, for soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs 48,000 from a contractor in Dhargaon in Igatpuri taluka.A case has been registered against the three with the Ghoti police station in rural Nashik under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.ACB officials said that the complainant, a govt contractor, had executed six development projects worth Rs13.7 lakh in Dhargaon through an e-tender process, including water supply systems, public toilets, and underground drainage work.Although five bills of Rs9.7 lakh were settled, the Gram Sevak demanded a 5% cut amounting to Rs48,000 to clear the remaining payment and threatened to withhold the bill if the bribe was not paid.Since the contractor was unwilling to pay the bribe, he registered a complaint with the ACB in Nashik. After verifying the complaint, ACB officials on Tuesday laid a trap.The gram sevak instructed the husband of the sarpanch to receive the bribe. The sarpanch’s husband, meanwhile, asked another person to accept the cash on their behalf.The gram sevak’s associate, who is a labourer, was arrested red-handed while receiving the Rs48,000 bribe in the presence of independent witnesses. Subsequently, the gram sevak and the sarpanch’s husband were also arrested.The trap was executed by PI Ajay Suryavanshi and his team guided by ACB superintendent of Nashik Bharat Tangde, additional SP Pradeep Mairale, additional SP Kavita Phadtare, and Deputy SP Eknath Patil.
