A coordinator in the Raigad Zilla Parishad’s primary education department has been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 to release the pending salaries of four teachers, the ACB said on Thursday.
The accused, a 47-year-old who also served as a deputy teacher at a primary school in Jatade, Panvel, had demanded the money to process the salaries for June and July.
According to an official release by the ACB, the accused sought a bribe from four teachers working in Zilla Parishad schools in exchange for releasing their delayed payments. One of the teachers, unwilling to comply with the corrupt demand, lodged a formal complaint with the ACB’s Raigad unit. Acting on this complaint, the anti-corruption agency laid a trap on September 4 to catch the accused red-handed. However, the operation failed as the accused got a tip-off and avoided accepting the bribe at that time.
The ACB officials persisted and set a second trap on Wednesday, September 6. This time, they targeted Khalapur Phata on the old Mumbai-Pune highway. During the operation, the accused was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 from the complainant's teacher. An ACB officer confirmed that the arrest was made immediately after the transaction.
A case has been registered against the accused under various Prevention of Corruption Act sections. The ACB's quick action highlights ongoing efforts to tackle graft in the public sector, particularly in educational institutions where corruption often affects the livelihood of teachers and the smooth functioning of schools. The investigation is ongoing, and the authorities are expected to gather further details regarding the involvement of any other parties in the matter.
This case brings attention to the issue of bribery within the education system and the ACB’s role in rooting out corrupt practices.