PUNE: The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested a Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) chief engineer for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹ 45,785 to sign tender agreements for five projects worth ₹ 91.57 lakh, according to the first information report (FIR) registered on October 29.
The complainant alleged that agreements had to be executed with the civic body to obtain work orders for the projects. “The accused, Pramod Sudhakar Ombase, 57, was serving as chief engineer in the civic body’s water supply department. The agency alleged that Ombase demanded a bribe equivalent to 0.5% of the total tender amount, or ₹ 45,785, through an executive engineer in exchange for signing the agreements. The complaint was lodged on June 11. The complainant alleged that Ombase had sought a bribe to clear three tender files worth ₹ 38 lakh that had remained pending on his table for several days. The complainant had reportedly met Ombase regarding the files on May 29. During verification on June 11, ACB found evidence of an alleged demand for ₹ 19,000, equivalent to 0.5% of the ₹ 38 lakh tender amount, the press release stated. Sant Tukaram Nagar Police Station filed a case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act on October 29.
The five tenders were issued for maintenance and repairs in the water supply department and the installation of new pipelines, according to the complaint.
It also referred to an earlier allegation that the complainant had paid a bribe to the accused. He was arrested at 3pm on Thursday,” the ACB said in a press release.
