Bribery case: Nashik PWD official suspended

The state government has decided to initiate strict action against the Public Works Department (PWD) officials in Nashik, who have been arrested by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) for accepting a bribe from a contractor.

The state government has decided to initiate strict action against the Public Works Department (PWD) officials in Nashik, who have been arrested by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) for accepting a bribe from a contractor.

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While the decision on whether to suspend or dismiss Satish Chikhlikar, PWD's executive engineer in the Nashik division, who holds assets of more than Rs14 crore (including Rs 7.45 crore in cash), is pending with the chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, his junior, section engineer Jagdish Wagh, who was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 22,000 on his behalf has been suspended.

Both Wagh and Chikhlikar were found to be members of an official-contractor-politician nexus, where money was exchanged to clear contractors' bills.

The ACB, which will be filing a case of disproportionate assets against Chikhlikar, recovered gold and silver ornaments worth Rs2 crore and Rs7.5 crore in cash from bank lockers and his residence.