An executive engineer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), who has been absconding for four months, has been sent to the custody of the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on charges of demanding Rs 2 crore bribe. Friday special court till 23rd December.
K-East Ward Executive Engineer Mandar Tari surrendered on Thursday.
Earlier this month, the Bombay High Court rejected his anticipatory bail application. Although the sessions court issued non-bailable bail, the ACB demanded to keep Tari in custody for three days saying that he had escaped from the investigation and was absconding. The agency said that much time had been wasted in pursuing Tari and that a thorough investigation was necessary given the nature of the allegations and the huge amount involved.
The ACB also said that the investigation into the end use of the funds and the recording of the conversation, where the accused allegedly took the bribe, should be compared with his voice.
On August 7, two persons were arrested while taking the agreed amount of Rs. 75 lakh. 2 crore, allegedly on behalf of Tari. The action was taken based on the complaint of a developer in Andheri.
The complainant had a ground plus two storied building in Andheri, in which he made some alterations to the second floor and a shed on the terrace. In January, he received a notice from the BMC saying the changes were illegal. He complained about the notice in court, which quashed the BMC order. In July, he alleged that some BMC officials, including Tari, visited the building.
It is alleged that when the complainant went to meet the authorities the next day, they demanded Rs 2 crore and asked them to pay the first installment of Rs 75 lakh saying that they had not taken any action.
The complainant approached the ACB and two alleged associates of Tari were arrested on August 7. Tari first approached the Sessions Court seeking anticipatory bail in August but it was denied. He was absconding and a non-bailable warrant was issued against him. On December 9, the High Court dismissed his earlier arrest petition.
Tari had earlier told the court that it was a false case based on personal vendetta as he had given an adverse order against the complainant.
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