ACB nabs Assistant Registrar, Senior Clerk with Niphad Co-Op Society for accepting ₹20,00,000 bribe
Illustration by The Voice of Malegaon.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Nashik has arrested Ranjit Mahadeo Patil, Assistant Registrar and Pradeep Arjun Veernarayan, Senior Clerk both posted at Niphad Co-Operative Society for accepting ₹20,00,000 bribe. The Accused Public Servant (APS) No 1 Patil has additional charge of Sinnar in Nashik district, the ACB said.
The ACB further said the APS No 1 demanded Rs 20,00,000 (Rs 20 lakh) bribe from the complainant for not taking any action against complainant’s grandfather under the provisions of Maharashtra Money-Lending (Regulation) Act, 2014.
The complainant then approached the ACB Nashik team who subsequently conducted a preliminary investigation and after that laid a trap. Consequently, the APS No 1 was caught red handed on March 29, 2023 near Mumbai Naka in Nashik city while accepting ₹20,00,000 bribe, the ACB said.
Besides Patil, the APS No 2 Veernarayan was also taken into custody for encouraging the illegal practice of bribe. A case with CR No 111/2013 at Mumbai Naka Police station was registered today. Both the APSs are now facing charges under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The above action was taken under the guidance of Superintendent of Police, ACB Nashik, Sharmishtha Gharage-Walavalkar and Additional SP Narayan Neyahalde. Police Inspector, ACB Nashik, Sandeep Salunkhe is conducting further investigation in the case.
