Maharashtra agro official demands bribe in Rs 100 notes only, arrested

The agricultural officer with the Mohol Panchayat Samiti in Solapur insisted he would accept Rs 2,500 from a person in denomination of Rs 100 only.

A government official in Maharashtra’s Solapur district has been arrested allegedly after he demanded bribes and insisted he be paid only in the Rs 100 denomination and not in the demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

The agricultural officer with the Mohol Panchayat Samiti in Solapur insisted he would accept Rs 2,500 from a person in denomination of Rs 100 only. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

Anti-corruption bureau officials caught the accused, an agricultural officer with the Mohol Panchayat Samiti, on Wednesday while he was accepting Rs 2,500 from a person who had approached him for some official work, police said.

The officer, Balasaheb Bhikaji Babar, was approached by the complainant Dattatray Bedge for clearing his Krishi Seva Kendra proposal, police said.

The officer insisted the complainant bring 25 notes of Rs 100 as the government has demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, a police official told PTI.

A case has been filed under sections 7, 13 (1) and 13 (2) of the anti-corruption act at the Mohol police station in Solapur district, police said.