Forest officer held for Rs 2.10 lakh bribe in Maharashtra
A circle forest officer was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2.10 lakh to allow goods trucks to pass through a forest area in Thane district. A forest guard is also under probe
Thane: A circle forest officer has been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2.10 lakh to allow goods trucks to pass through a forest area in Shahapur taluka of Thane district, the Anti-Corruption Bureau said on Saturday.
A forest guard is being investigated to ascertain his role in the alleged bribe demand.
“The complainant and his associates operate goods trucks that were required to pass through the Kashti round forest area. For allowing six such trucks to pass, circle forest officer Bhagwan Bhoir and Rathod allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 75,000 per truck, totalling Rs 4.50 lakh,” according to a release issued by the ACB.
The accused later agreed to accept Rs 2.10 lakh for allowing six trucks following negotiations, it stated.
The ACB nabbed Bhoir on Friday while he was accepting money from the complainant on the Khardi-Wada Road.
An FIR has been registered at Shahapur police station under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.