THE PUNE Unit of the state Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has booked three revenue department officials, including a tehsildar, along with two other persons for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 42 lakh in lieu of issuing a Non Agriculture (NA) certificate for a piece of land in Shirur taluka of Pune district.
An FIR in the case was registered at Bundgarden Police station under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act on Monday. The demand for the bribe was first made in May this year, officials said.
Police have booked then Tehsildar of Shirur Ranjana Umarhande, Revenue Assistant Swati Shinde and talathi of Shirur Sarfaraz Deshmukh. Police have also booked two more persons who also allegedly made demands for the bribe in the same case.
Officials said the complainant, who has a trust which owns a land in Shirur taluka, had submitted a proposal to grant an NA certificate for the same to the tehsildar office.
According to the FIR, the demand for a bribe of Rs 42 lakh was allegedly made by Deshmukh first on May 25 this year who promised to get the approval for the proposal from the higher offices. Subsequently, Shinde, Umarhande and two private persons also made demands for bribes from the complainant.
Amol Tambe, Superintendent of Police with Pune Unit of the ACB, said, “The bribe demands were made by the five accused persons at various times between May 25 and November 19. Meanwhile, we have detained Deshmukh. Further probe is on.”
