I, CM trapped corrupt official: MoS Patil

Mumbai, Apr 2: A day after a state law department official was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe, MoS Ranjit Patil said he and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had entrapped the erring official and arranged for the first instalment of the bribe.

Patil, who has additional charge of Law and Judiciary Department, also clarified that the official was not working as his personal assistant, nor was he a part of the ministry. Patil said he and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had arranged the first instalment of the Rs four lakh bribe, used as a bait to trap M A Kadam, the accused.

"Yesterday morning, we received a complaint that an official from the Law and Judiciary Department was asking for bribe to appoint the complainant as notary. I was called by the CM and we discussed this operation... The CM gave instructions to the ACB and accordingly, the culprit was nabbed," Patil told PTI.

"This man is not my personal assistant, my personal secretary or an officer on special duty. When we handle a department, we have briefings on technicalities by the secretaries. Secretaries usually depute an official to sort out the technicalities of the department and assist us. This official, likewise, used to come to me for briefings whenever I needed advice," Patil added.

Patil said Kadam's job was to coordinate between the department and the ministry.

"We knew he holds a high position in the department but as per our policy of zero tolerance towards corruption, we went ahead with exposing our own official. The CM and I together even arranged the money, which was used as a bait as the complainant did not even have the money to pay (for the trap)," Patil said.

PTI