Two Senior Engineers Arrested in Anti-Corruption Sting
In a significant anti-corruption operation, the Satara Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) apprehended two engineers from the Water Resource Department red-handed while they were accepting bribes on Friday. The accused officials have been identified as Executive Engineer Anand Ramdas Kalmegh (51) and Junior Engineer Madhuri Deore (35), both serving at the prestigious Tembhu Lift Irrigation Project in Kolhapur.
The Bribe Demand for Security Guard Bills
The corruption scandal unfolded when a complainant, representing an agency that provides security guards, approached the WRD to process a legitimate bill amounting to Rs 5,94,720. According to ACB officials, Junior Engineer Madhuri Deore initially demanded Rs 17,000 from the complainant to clear the security guard bills.
When the complainant approached Deore with the legitimate bill, she not only demanded the bribe but also directed him to meet Executive Engineer Anand Kalmegh to collect the cleared payment documents. Shockingly, Kalmegh demanded an even larger bribe of Rs 30,000, which was eventually negotiated down to Rs 25,000 after discussions between the parties.
ACB's Well-Planned Trap Operation
Following the extortion demands, the frustrated complainant approached the Satara ACB and filed an official complaint. ACB Police Inspector Sunil Patil orchestrated a carefully planned trap operation that culminated on Friday.
"Our team laid a successful trap on Friday and caught both engineers red-handed while they were accepting the illicit payments," confirmed Inspector Patil. The operation resulted in the recovery of the entire bribe amount totaling Rs 42,000 from the two accused engineers.
The ACB has made a strong appeal to citizens facing similar extortion attempts. "We urge citizens to dial the toll-free number 1064 if any government official in Satara district demands bribes for services," stated Inspector Patil, emphasizing the department's commitment to eradicating corruption from government offices.
Both engineers now face serious legal consequences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, marking another significant achievement in the ongoing battle against corruption in Maharashtra's government departments.
