Pune: In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Pune nabbed an Assistant Engineer from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and his associate while accepting a bribe of ₹25,000 in Bhosari, Pimpri-Chinchwad.
The accused, Ramprasad Narwade (34), serving at MSEDCL’s Spine City Subdivision-2 in Bhosari, and his acquaintance, Shyamlal Asokan (34), were caught red-handed during a trap laid by the ACB on Wednesday.
The complainant in the case is a government-authorized electrical contractor who facilitates liaisoning and connection approvals with MSEDCL. On March 4, 2025, the contractor had submitted an application for a domestic electricity connection on behalf of a client. The case was forwarded to Assistant Engineer Narwade for further processing.
According to the ACB, Narwade initially demanded a bribe of ₹35,000 to process the application. The contractor, unwilling to comply, reported the matter to the ACB Pune on June 2. During a verification operation conducted on June 4 in the presence of panch (independent) witnesses, Narwade negotiated the bribe amount down to ₹25,000.
On June 5, the ACB laid a trap wherein Narwade directed the complainant to hand over the bribe to Shyamlal Asokan. As soon as Asokan accepted the cash, both he and Narwade were apprehended on the spot.
The process of registering a formal case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is underway at the Bhosari MIDC Police Station.
The operation was executed under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande and Additional SP Dr. Sheetal Janve, led by Police Inspector Prasad Lonare of the ACB Pune.
Superintendent Sardeshpande urged citizens to immediately report any demands for bribes by government officials or their intermediaries to the Anti-Corruption Bureau through official channels.
