The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Naresh Barve (54), a revenue assistant (class-3) posted at the Nagpur Collectorate, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh. The arrest was made on Friday night after a carefully planned trap operation.
Complaint and Verification
The complainant, a 46-year-old resident of Nagpur, had filed an appeal before the additional district collector (slum) seeking approval for construction on his 1,135 sq ft plot located at Shivajinagar near Mahal. Barve allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh as a bribe to settle the matter in the complainant's favor. After the demand was reported, ACB officials verified the complaint on April 17 and 20.
Trap Operation
Following verification, ACB laid a trap at Barve's residence in New Nandanvan Layout. On April 24, the accused called the complainant to deliver the bribe between 11 pm and midnight. The ACB team, under the supervision of SP Digambar Pradhan, caught Barve red-handed while accepting the cash.
The arrest highlights the ongoing efforts of the ACB to curb corruption in government offices. Further investigation is underway to determine if any other individuals were involved in the bribery scheme.
