ACB arrests two agriculture dept officials for demanding bribe

Two Agriculture department officials were today arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe, an Anti-Corruption Bureau official said.

Inspector Sanjay Sadigale of the Thane unit of the ACB said that taluka agricultural officer Abbasaheb Akcoure (52) and superintendent Navnath Dharwad (49) were arrested during a trap laid near the Bhiwandi taluka agriculture office where the two are posted.

"The superintendent had demanded Rs 5 lakh to clear the bill of a man who had carried out some work on behalf of the agricultural office. The man approached the ACB following which we laid a trap," he said.

Ackoure was arrested after he allegedly accepted Rs 2.40 lakh in cash and a cheque of Rs 1 lakh on behalf of Dharwad during the trap, Sadigale said.

They have been charged under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and further probe was underway, the official informed.