Ahmednagar civic chief on the run after ACB books him in bribery case

According to the ACB officials, the complainant runs a real estate firm, 4 K Reality, he has purchased a plot measuring 2,260.22 square metres in Ahmednagar municipal corporation limits and wanted to develop it by constructing a building

MUMBAI: Ahmednagar municipal commissioner Dr Pankaj Jawale and his assistant are on the run after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered a case against them for demanding ₹8 lakh as a bribe from a real estate developer for clearing his plans to construct a building. The ACB officials said they are carrying out searches at Jawale’s house and seized the property. The officials added they found crucial evidence (documents) from the resident of Jawale’s assistant Shridhar Deshpande.

Ahmednagar civic chief on the run after ACB books him in bribery case

“We have registered a case against Dr Pankaj Jawale, commissioner and administrator of Ahmednagar municipal corporation and his office assistant, Shridhar Deshpande, under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act,” said an ACB official.

According to the ACB officials, the complainant runs a real estate firm, 4 K Reality, he has purchased a plot measuring 2,260.22 square metres in Ahmednagar municipal corporation limits and wanted to develop it by constructing a building.

“He had submitted his construction plans for the approval of the civic body, by online mode in March this year. Dr Jawale through Deshpande demanded ₹9.30 lakh as a bribe to clear the plans and grant necessary permissions for developing the property. As the complainant was not in favour of paying the bribe money, he approached the Jalna unit of ACB and reported the matter,” said the ACB officer.

The police then registered an offence at the Topkhana police station in Ahmednagar district. Dr Jawale and Deshpande, however, got wind of the case and have been missing since then.

“We suspect they have fled the city. We are presently carrying out searches at their houses and gathering more evidence,” said the police officer.

The police said Jawale is a class-one MPSC officer, while Deshpande is a class-3 employee who had an additional charge of the municipal commissioner’s office assistant. Jawale hails from Majalgaon in Beed.