7 held for taking bribe

Seven persons, including a senior
civic official, were arrested in three separate cases of bribery in Thane and adjoining districts, Anti-Corruption Bureau said today.
Palghar's Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation assistant commissioner Jitendra Chowdhari (47) and two other persons were caught late last night for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 3.5 lakhs from a complainant, ACB Thane unit's Additional SP Srinivas Ghatge said.
Chowdhari, Arvind Todankar (53) and former corporator Pravin Mahaparalkar (50) had allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakhs from Virar resident Arun Suryanath Singh for not taking action against his illegal construction in Nallasopara area.
However, after negotiations the deal was settled for Rs 3.50 lakhs, he said.

While they were accepting the money last night near Nirmala Building in Nallasopara, the ACB sleuths nabbed them, he said.

In another case, three persons, including Raigad zila parishad's public works and finance department chairman Chandu Kolambe (43), were arrested last evening for allegedly taking Rs 1.50 lakhs from a person working in an architect firm for clearing a proposal submitted by him to convert a piece of land into a non-agricultural one, Ghatge said.
Apart from Kolmabe, the two others arrested were identified as the department's senior assistant Hemant Mhatre and development officer Prasad Mali, he said.
Mhatre and Mali had allegedly demanded Rs two lakhs from the complainant. Later, after negotiations Kolambe agreed to take Rs 1.50 lakhs and was caught while accepting the money through Mhatre yesterday at the Alibaug zila parishad office.

In yet another graft case, Thane MSEDCL's additional executive engineer Rumdev Poma Chavan (46) was arrested for allegedly taking Rs 25,000 as bribe at his Lokmanya Nagar office here from a farmer for providing him relief in his electricity bill, Ghatge said.
Offences under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act have been registered against the seven persons at respective police stations, the ACB added.