Special Correspondent
Pune: Sanjay Gunjal, the Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department under the Agriculture Commissionerate, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday night for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 3 lakh from a suspended employee. Gunjal was caught in the Sangamwadi area while accepting a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh from the complainant.
The case was registered at the Yerawada police station under the Prevention of Corruption Act following a complaint lodged by the suspended employee. The complainant, a 51-year-old former junior clerk at the Agriculture Commissionerate, had been suspended in 2019-2020 by the Joint Director of Agriculture in Amravati due to alleged malpractices and irregularities related to the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchan Yojana. During his suspension, Gunjal allegedly sought a bribe in exchange for his assistance in resolving issues raised against the complainant.
After agreeing to pay a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh, the complainant reported the matter to the Pune office of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande verified the complaint, and upon confirming its credibility, a trap was set. The complainant was instructed to meet Gunjal at the Arambus stop in Sangamwadi with the agreed amount.
Gunjal was arrested while accepting the bribe, and the authorities acted swiftly under the supervision of Superintendent Sardeshpande and Additional Superintendent Vijay Pawar. A case was filed against Gunjal at the Yerawada police station, and Police Inspector Praveen Nimbalkar is leading the ongoing investigation.
