E-Paper
Corruption cases in state dip during lockdown; Pune records highest
Officials cite lockdown restrictions keeping residents indoors as reason for low number of complaints.
Pune: The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) witnessed a dip in graft cases during the lockdown though it picked up after the curbs were relaxed. Pune division recorded the highest number of corruption cases in the state.
From January 1 till June 21 this year, the state recorded 308 cases of which 74 were from the Pune range. The Pune range serves five areas, including Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, and Kolhapur. During the same period last year, ACB had recorded 442 cases from eight divisions covering Maharashtra.
The second highest number of cases were from Amravati with 45 cases, followed by Nagpur with 44, Nashik 42, Aurangabad 34, Nanded 32, Thane 26, and Mumbai with 11 cases.
“As residents were instructed to remain indoors throughout lockdown, the number of complaints went down,” said Rajesh Bansode, superintendent of ACB Pune.
Among the total recorded cases in the state, 282 are trap cases where the person accepting a bribe is caught in the act. Every month, trap cases contribute to a maximum number of cases registered by all units of ACB. From 68 trap cases in January, 72 in February, and 58 in March, the state ACB record recorded a total of 7 cases in April and 30 in May. The number has, however, reached 47 till June 21. Compared to monthly statistics in 2019, trap cases saw a decline of 88 per cent in April and 61 per cent in May, according to data released by ACB.
The complainant and the co-operation with ACB in such cases is key to the investigation.
“It became very tough to set up traps during the lockdown as it was difficult to maintain secrecy with no movement of people. We had to maintain a high level of secrecy, but we succeeded as there were no failed traps,” he said.
Pune recorded the highest number of cases in 2019 also. The number of cases until June 21, 2019, in Pune range was 93, Amravati 62, Nagpur 55, Nashik 53, Aurangabad 59, Nanded 46, Thane 52 and Mumbai at 52.
“We have take many steps to educate the masses, including distribution of leaflets, pamphlets, college campus lectures and awareness drives. I think that helped. In 2019, our range was awarded as the best range in the state ACB,” said SP Bansode.
Out of the 282 trap cases in 2020, 391 were arrested with a maximum number from the police department followed by revenue and land registration officials.
Division -----Number of cases (Jan 1 to June 21, 2020) ---- Number of cases (Jan 1 to June 21, 2019)
Mumbai --------------11 ------------------------------------------------ 22
Thane --------------26 ------------------------------------------------ 52
Pune -------------- 74 ------------------------------------------------ 93
Nashik -------------- 42 ------------------------------------------------ 53
Nagpur -------------- 44 ------------------------------------------------ 55
Amravati -------------45 ------------------------------------------------ -- 62
Aurangabad ----------34 ------------------------------------------------ 59
Nanded --------------32 ------------------------------------------------ 46
Total -------------- 308 ------------------------------------------------ 442
