Education officer caught taking Rs 1 lakh bribe

An education officer was Monday caught while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a teacher, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said.

Mohan Desle, a Class-I officer with the Palghar Zilla Parishad (ZP), was arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act, DySP Ajay Aphale of the ACB's Thane Unit said in a release.

The 49-year-old was trapped after the aggrieved teacher lodged a complaint with the ACB.

The complainant was employed with a private school and appointed in 2012, Aphale said.

The education officer had not given sanction for his post.

The complainant teacher had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court against the education department and got a judgement in his favour, said the release.

Following the HC order, the complainant approached the education officer seeking approval of his post, said the release.

Desle allegedly demanded Rs 3 lakh as a bribe from the complainant to accord sanction to the post, it said, adding later the amount was brought down to Rs 2 lakh which was to be paid in two equal instalments.

The education officer was caught while allegedly accepting the first instalment Rs 1 lakh in the ZP premises, the release added.