MSEDCL Engineer Arrested in Pune for Demanding Rs 5 Lakh Bribe
Pune, 23rd October 2024: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) engineer from Pune for demanding a bribe of Rs 5 lakh.
The bribe was solicited for processing five important pending files and for approving an increased electricity load for a newly constructed building in Manjari. The executive engineer has been identified as Bhausaheb Machindra Sawant (51).
An electrical contractor filed the complaint, stating that he had undertaken the task of setting up an electric DP (Distribution Point) and initiating supply for five new buildings for a client. He had submitted five files to Executive Engineer Bhausaheb Sawant’s MSEDCL office in the Bund Garden area for approval. Additionally, the complainant had already secured electricity load approval from Sawant for the DP installed at the new building in Manjari. Sawant demanded Rs 5 lakh from the complainant for processing the pending files and sanctioning the electricity load for the new building.
The ACB verified the complaint on October 7, 8, 21, and 22, confirming that the bribe had been demanded in exchange for completing the complainant’s work. Sawant admitted to accepting Rs 2 lakh as an advance from the total Rs 5 lakh. A trap was set at the MSEDCL office in Bund Garden, where Sawant was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 2 lakh from the complainant. A case has been registered at Wanowrie Police Station, and Bhausaheb Sawant has been arrested.
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande and Additional Superintendent of Police Dr. Sheetal Janve, with Police Inspector Veernath Mane leading the investigation.
