Karivali sarpanch held by ACB for ₹7.5 lakh bribe linked to pond project

Bhiwandi (Thane): The Anti-Corruption Bureau's (ACB) Thane unit has arrested the sarpanch of Karivali gram panchayat in Bhiwandi taluka on charges of taking ₹7.5 lakh from a contractor building a pond conservation and beautification project in the village. A case has been registered at Bhiwandi police station.

According to the ACB, the Zilla Parishad's minor irrigation department had approved a tender of more than ₹2.33 crore for the project. The government was to bear 90 per cent of the cost and the remaining 10 per cent, ₹23.94 lakh, was to be raised through public contribution before a work order could be issued. The gram panchayat had deposited ₹7 lakh, and an undertaking from it was needed so that the remaining ₹16.34 lakh could be paid in instalments.

The complainant alleged that the sarpanch demanded ₹10 lakh for issuing the undertaking and repeated the demand on October 5. The contractor then approached the ACB. During a verification on October 7 the amount was allegedly settled at ₹7.5 lakh, and on the evening of October 9 the ACB laid a trap at the sarpanch's private office on the gram panchayat premises, where he was allegedly caught accepting the money.

Further investigation is under way.

Source: Free Press Journal