Jamshedpur, Feb. 22: A team of anti-corruption bureau (ACB) officials from Jamshedpur arrested a Mukhiya and a panchayat sevak while accepting bribe from a contractor at Patpur panchayat office in Bahragora in Ghatshila sub-division.
Dinbandhu Khatuwa (45) who was the Mukhiya of Patpur panchayat and panchayat sevak, Sonaram Murmu (38) were arrested after they had taken Rs 12,000 as bribe from Vishwajit Shao who is the complainant.
Superintendent of police (ACB) Kolhan division Manoj Kumar Singh said Khatuwa had allotted a work order for construction of 150 ft long drain at Patpur panchayat from the Punchayat fund in December last.
“The work was allotted to Shao after the Mukhiya Dinbandhu Khatuwa and the concerned panchayat sevak Sonarm Murmu had put their signatures on the work order. The estimated cost of the work was Rs 1.3 lakh. The contractor had finished the work having got Rs 1 lakh as first installment of the total estimated cost of the drain project. When he approached the Mukhiya he demanded 10 percent of the total cost for signing the bill of the work done,” the SP (ACB) said.
Shao who is a resident of Mohanpur in Bahragora approached the ACB’s Kolhan divisional office in Sonari a week ago and lodged a written complaint against the two panchayat officials.
As he paid the amount at the Patpur panchayat office, a six-member team led by deputy superintendent of police (ACB), Amar Pandey nabbed both of them,” said the SP (ACB).