Pimpri-Chinchwad standing committee chairman, 4 others detained in bribery case

It was found that to come up with the hoardings in PCMC premises, 28 tenders were sanctioned, however, a work order of the same was not issued. To sign the work order, Landge had asked for three per cent of the total amount which was ₹10 lakh

The Pune unit of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has detained Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) standing committee chairman Advocate Nitin Dnyaneshwar Landge and his personal assistant Dnyaneshwar Pingale, clerk Arvind Kamble, and Rajendra Shinde and Vijay Chawria in a bribery case of ₹10 lakh.

Pune unit of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials in action at the office of the standing committee in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Wednesday. (HT PHOTO)

The officials raided the office of Landge on Wednesday afternoon and an investigation was carried out for two hours. It was found that to come up with the hoardings in PCMC premises, 28 tenders were sanctioned, however, a work order of the same was not issued.

To sign the work order, Landge had asked for three per cent of the total amount which was ₹10 lakh. For singing on six files on Wednesday ₹1,18,000 were asked to be given to clerks.

Around the same time, the ACB officials caught Pingale red-handed while accepting the bribe on the ground floor. He was taken to the office of the standing committee chairman and questioned along with other suspects. Later, Landge was also questioned. They were detained at around 7 pm by the ACB team.

Landge is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator from ward 7 in Bhosari.

On Wednesday, meanwhile, an online meeting of the standing committee was held wherein approval was given for work worth ₹31.66 crore.