Mumbai: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a BMC assistant engineer for allegedly accepting a Rs 3 lakh bribe from a contractor. Ranjan Bagwe demanded the bribe to approve a public toilet project under the BMC's ‘Pay and Use’ scheme.
The complainant, a contractor with 25 years of experience in municipal contracts, had applied for a project near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road and Reay Road Railway Station in ‘E’ Ward. In October 2024, Bagwe allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakh for project approval, later reducing the amount to Rs 6 lakh.
Unwilling to pay, the contractor approached the ACB on November 29. The ACB set a trap, directing the contractor to offer Rs 3 lakh as initial payment. When Bagwe accepted the cash inside his office cabin, ACB officials arrested him on the spot.
