College staffer, aide caught accepting bribe of Rs 8,000

Mumbai, Jun 27 (UNI) Sleuths of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have arrested a staffer of SVT College of Home Science and his aide for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 from a student to award grace marks to enable her to pass an exam.

Accused Dinesh Bhiku Pawar (31), a computer operator in the college, was arrested along with his accomplice Baldev Lalaram Saran (30) last night while accepting the bribe amount from the complainant, a student of Home Science's textile faculty of the college, which is affiliated to SNDT University.

The complainant had failed in the annual examination for want of 10 marks. As per college rules and regulations, she was entitled to get six grace marks. Even then, she was short of four marks to enable her to pass.

She had approached Saran, who ran a stationery and zerox shop situated within the college premises. He then contacted Pawar to do the work but the latter agreed on the condition that he be given Rs 20,000 for the four grace marks.

Pawar took Rs 10,000 as advance amount from the complainant but started demanding the remaining amount without doing the promised work. This aroused her suspicion and she agreed to pay the balance amount later.

Meanwhile, she lodged a complaint against them at ACB office. And when the duo came to collect the amount, they were arrested last night.

They were produced before Additional Session Court Judge R R Gandhi today, who remanded them to police custody till July three.

UNI