Nagpur News.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Bhandara, in a cracking success, trapped and arrested a Food Safety Officer Class-II (An Assistant Commissioner) in the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Bhandara while accepting a bribe of Rs 6,000 on Monday (June 16).
According to ACB, the complainant, Ramraj Shalikram Sarve (33), resident of Rajani Nagar, Khat Road, Bhandara, runs a distributor agency for cold drinks namely M/s Yashraj Enterprises. On 13.6.2014, P A Umak, Food Safety Officer, Bhandara, visited Sarve’s godown for inspection. During inspection, the Food Safety Officer Umak, in his report, pointed out many shortcomings prevailing in M/s Yashraj Enterprises pertaining to documents, safety standards and other aspects. Subsequently, a notice was issued to the establishment by the Food Safety Officer P A Umak thereby directing it to take appropriate measures to remove the shortcomings within 14 days and file the action taken report to his office. The said notice was signed by Ashok Nagorao Athawale, the designated Officer and Assistant Commissioner (Food).
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After receiving the notice, the owner of M/s Yashraj Enterprises, Dhanraj Shalikram Sarve asked his younger brother Ramraj Sarve to go to Food and Drugs Administration Office, Bhandara for further seeking further details in the matter. Accordingly, on 13.6.2014 at about 3 pm, Ramraj Sarve went to Food and Drugs Administration Office in Bhandara and met the Assistant Commissioner A N Athawale in this connection. However, Athawale, after reading the notice, demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 for dumping the matter and another Rs 15,000 for not initiating any action against M/s Yashraj Enterprises.
However, Ramraj Sarve, instead lodged a complaint with Anti-Corruption Bureau against the Assistant Commissioner A N Athawale (51), the designated Food Safety Officer Class-II in the FDA Bhandara and resident of Pragati Society, near Sonegaon Lake, Sahakar Nagar, Nagpur. Accordingly, the ACB laid a trap and caught Athawale red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 6000 (settlement amount) in his Food and Drugs Administration Office in Bhandara on Monday (June 16). The ACB later immediately filed an offence with Bhandara Police Station against Athawale under Sections 7, 13(1)(D), Sub-Section 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and arrested him. The ACB has recovered the marked bribe amount of Rs 6000 from the accused Ashok Nagorao Athawale.
The action was taken by ACB Deputy SP Prashant Kolwadkar, PI Kishore Parvate, Poloice Constables Ashok Lulekar, Bhaurao Wadibhasme, Gautam Raut, Sachin Halmare, Parag Raut, Ashwinkumar Goswami, Manoj Panchbudhe, Shekhar Deshkar, Rasika Kangale, driver Manoj Chavan (All ACB) under the guidance of DCP/SP ACB Ashok Shirbhate.
