ZP officer & clerk held for accepting 50k in bribe

Nashik: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday evening arrested an executive officer from the water conservation department of Nashik Zilla Parishad, along with a clerk, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs50,000.ACB officials said the officer had demanded money from a contractor in exchange for providing favourable remarks on the completion of two concrete weir projects. These remarks were required to facilitate the release of payments worth Rs16 lakh.The two weirs were built at Pimplad and Tungarpada in Trimbakeshwar taluka under minor irrigation schemes funded through the district planning scheme.Officials said the contractor had initially approached the officer for clearance of dues, following which a demand of Rs72,000 was made. After negotiations, the amount was allegedly settled at Rs50,000. The bribe was being accepted through a clerk acting as an intermediary."The contractor lodged a complaint with ACB. Acting on the complaint, officials laid a trap and caught both accused red-handed while accepting the bribe," an official said. Both the executive officer and the clerk were arrested and later produced before a court, which remanded them to police custody till Friday.ACB teams conducted searches at the residences of both accused as part of the ongoing investigation, but so far no incriminating documents have been found.