Engineer of NIT and architect arrested for bribery

Nagpur, Jan 18 (UNI) The Superintending Engineer (SE) of the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) N P Vaswani and a private architect empanelled with NIT, Suresh Chinchghare were today arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on charges of taking bribe of Rs 4 lakh from a land owner to sanction a layout of plots on his property.

The Superintending Engineer was arrested by the ACB for allegedly demanding and accepting the bribe, while Chinchghare was arrested for allegedly collecting the bribe from the complainant and bringing it to Vaswani.

ACB Superintendent of Police (SP) Mr Suresh Sone told UNI that the complainant, Mr Manish Deshraj wanted to develop a layout on about 15 acres of land that he owns in Jaripatka area here.

Vaswani demanded that either Mr Deshraj pay a bribe of Rs 15 lakh or give him a 4,000 square feet plot, if he wanted him to issue the 'release order' for the layout. The victim agreed to pay Rs 5 lakh as the first installment and simultaneously lodged a complaint with the ACB, which laid a trap, Mr Sone said.

When Mr Deshraj came to the NIT office with the money, Vaswani told him to go to a nearby restaurant and give the cash to Chinchghare. Sleuths from the ACB nabbed Chinchghare immediately after he accepted the cash in the restaurant and brought him back to NIT.

When confronted, Vaswani admitted that he had asked for the bribe, and Chinchghare has also given a written statement that he had accepted the money on Vaswani's behalf, the SP disclosed.

Meanwhile, another team from the ACB carried out a raid at Vaswani's residence in Jaripatka immediately after the official was trapped. A search is currently on at his office and residence, he added.

NIT is a statutory body entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out development of civic amenities in and around Nagpur city. Vaswani has been working as the SE since 2000.

UNI