Senior PWD clerk held for taking bribe

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials on Monday arrested a senior clerk of the state public works department (PWD) in his office on the charge of bribery.

The culprit, identified as Gnyanoba Patange, had allegedly demanded Rs40,000 from the complainant. An ACB officer said the complainant has a house in Worli's BDD chawls on his sister's name, which was rented out a few months ago. After the complainant's sister died some months back, he wanted the flat transferred on the name of his niece (sister's daughter).

"He approached the nearby PWD office. Patange demanded Rs40,000 from him for the transfer as well as Rs5,000 extra for letting him continue to rent it out and avoid any 'problem' as per the regulations of the PWD," said an ACB officer.

"The victim then approached the ACB and lodged a complaint. Patange was to get Rs4,000 as the first instalment in his office on Monday. So, after verifying the facts, we laid a trap and arrested the culprit red-handed," the officer added.