The ACB has arrested three staffers of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and another person for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 3.5 lakh from a housing society secretary in Navi Mumbai, officials said on Thursday, reported news agency PTI.

The 54-year-old complainant, who is the secretary of a cooperative housing society in Vashi, had a dispute with some other elected members of his society`s managing committee.

He and the other members had submitted applications to the deputy registrar of cooperative societies, CIDCO, to dissolve the managing committee while claiming irregularities, Navi Mumbai Anti-Corruption Bureau`s Deputy Superintendent of Police Dharmaraj Sonke said, reported PTI.

To get the result in favour of the complainant, the accused allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh from him but later lowered the amount to Rs 3.5 lakh, the official said, reported PTI.

After a probe into the complaint, the ACB on Wednesday laid a trap and arrested an office assistant, a cooperative officer and a peon working at the joint registrar`s office, as well as another person in connection with the bribery, the official said, reported PTI.

A case has been registered against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Faridabad ACB arrests ex-BDPO, contractor in Rs 28 crore embezzlement case

In another case, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a former Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) and a contractor for allegedly embezzling Rs 28 crore through fake bills, officials said on Wednesday, reported PTI.

The ACB produced both Pooja Sharma, former BDPO, and contractor Hiralal in a city court.

Hiralal was sent into judicial custody while Pooja Sharma was remanded to two days of police custody for questioning, a senior ACB officer said, reported PTI.

Following the FIR, the government suspended Pooja. However, she rejoined her duties after receiving an order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. At the time of her arrest, she was handling the charge of BDPO in Punhana, Nuh district, reported PTI.

According to ACB officials, the FIR was lodged by Yashpal Yadav, the then deputy commissioner of Faridabad, at Sadar Police Station in Ballabgarh in April 2021. The former deputy commissioner had earlier formed a committee to investigate the matter.

The FIR revealed that, between January 2020 and May 2020, former Sarpanch Rani and suspended village secretary Vijaypal of Mujedi village withdrew Rs 2,32,46,767 without approval. Further investigation showed that the panchayat suffered a financial loss of Rs 69,01,936, reported PTI.

It is alleged that the former BDPO, in collusion with acting Sarpanch Brahmapal and village secretary Jogendra, embezzled Rs 22 crore by submitting fake bills for development work that was never carried out. Of this, Rs 17.14 crore was paid to the contractor alone, reported PTI.

The case was transferred to the ACB for investigation in 2023.

The investigation revealed that payments totalling Rs 28 crore were found in the accounts of the contractor and his associated companies. While the Panchayat`s account was sealed, the former BDPO allegedly got it reopened at her level.

The probe also uncovered that the former BDPO had received a bribe of Rs 9 lakh for facilitating payment to Rasik Bihari Infratech and Construction Private Limited, reported PTI.

ACB officials also disclosed that the contractor, in connivance with the former BDPO and the then Sarpanch of Mujedi, had committed a fraud of approximately Rs 43 lakh in November 2020 under the pretext of planting trees in the village.

However, trees cannot be planted in November and December, and the bills for the trees were found to be dated after June 2021.

“We are questioning the main accused, who is on two days of remand. Other suspects are also under investigation,” said a senior ACB officer.

(With inputs from PTI)

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