Mumbai: Two arrested for demanding bribe from civic official

MUMBAI: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official Mandar Tari for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 2 crore for not taking action against unauthorised constructions. ACB has arrested two persons in this connection. The accused were caught red-handed while accepting Rs 75 lakh.

Mandar Ashok Tari, the main accused, is working as a designated officer in the divisional office of the municipal corporation in Ghatkopar (East). The ACB arrested Mohammad Shahzada Yasin Shah (33) and Prateek Vijay Pise (35) while accepting a bribe of Rs 75 lakh from the complainant.
According to the ACB, the complainant owns a four-storey building. Designated officer Tari demanded Rs 2 crore from the complainant to co-operate in not taking eviction action on two floors of the building as it was unauthorised. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB on July 31. The ACB verified that the complainant had demanded Rs 2 crore and agreed to accept the first instalment of Rs 75 lakh. The ACB conducted the searches on Tuesday. Both Pise and Shah were caught red-handed while accepting Rs 75 lakh. The ACB has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the accused.