Two officials from the Thane Zilla Parishad have been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for allegedly taking a bribe to release retirement benefits, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat corruption in Maharashtra.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested two officials of the Thane Zilla Parishad in Maharashtra for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 20,000 from a retired teacher, officials said on Thursday.
The accused allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the teacher, against whom a departmental inquiry is underway, to facilitate the release of his partial retirement benefits, Thane ACB inspector Pramod Ahire said.
"The teacher had already paid Rs 80,000 to the accused. They were persistently demanding the remaining amount, following which the aggrieved person approached the ACB," he said.
Acting on the complaint, ACB sleuths laid a trap at the Zilla Parishad office and caught a junior administrative officer red-handed while accepting the remaining Rs 20,000 on Wednesday, Ahire said.
The other accused, an assistant administrative officer, was also later apprehended. Both were booked under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the official added.