The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Pune has made a significant arrest, apprehending a government-appointed liquidator and a panel member for allegedly demanding a massive bribe of Rs 8 crores from a housing society. The arrests were made on Friday after a meticulously planned trap.
The Trap and Arrest Details
According to the ACB, the two accused have been identified as Vinod Manikrao Deshmukh (50), the liquidator from Vadgaon Khurd, and Bhaskar Pol (56), a panel member from Narhe. The complaint was lodged by a 61-year-old office holder from Shaniwar Peth, who is also a member of the affected housing society in Dhankawdi.
Superintendent of Police, ACB, Shirish Sardeshpande, stated that after verifying the complaint, a trap was laid near the complainant's office. The two men were caught red-handed while accepting the first instalment of the bribe, amounting to Rs 30 lakh. They were subsequently placed under arrest.
Background of the Housing Society Dispute
The case revolves around a housing society that was formed back in 2005. Some of its members had purchased a prime piece of land measuring over one hectare, whose current market value is estimated to be a staggering over Rs 45 crores.
Disputes erupted between old and new members of the society in 2020. With a total of 32 members, the matter was brought before the cooperative department. The department's decision was to appoint a government liquidator to oversee the society's property. The arrested liquidator, Vinod Deshmukh, and panel member, Bhaskar Pol, were tasked with resolving the disputes.
The plan was to sell the valuable property and distribute the shares among the society members. However, as per the ACB, the suspects exploited their official positions. They demanded a bribe of Rs 3 crore to issue share certificates to the members and an additional Rs 5 crore to facilitate the sale of the land, bringing the total illegal demand to Rs 8 crore.
Legal Proceedings and Custody
The arrested duo was produced before a city court on Saturday. The court has remanded them to police custody until December 9. The ACB's investigation is ongoing to uncover further details and any potential links in this corruption case.
This arrest highlights the ongoing vigilance of the Anti-Corruption Bureau against the misuse of official power for personal gain, especially in matters involving high-value real estate and cooperative housing societies.
