The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Pune, has arrested a senior Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) official for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe from an electrical contractor in exchange for clearing official work.

The accused has been identified as Ramchandra Narayan Londhe (42) who serves as an Additional Executive Engineer at MSEDCL's Subdivision-2 office in Hadapsar. He was arrested during a trap operation which was conducted by the ACB on Thursday afternoon.

According to investigators, the complainant was a 43-year-old electrical subcontractor who had recently completed the installation of 12 electricity meters under MSEDCL-related work.

The contractor alleged that the officer have demanded money for processing and approving the installations. The official is also accused of seeking additional payment in connection with approval of a separate electricity connection project.

When he was unwilling to pay the alleged bribe, the contractor approached the ACB and lodged a complaint.

After the complaint, ACB officials carried out a verification exercise to confirm the allegations.

During the inquiry, investigators allegedly found that a demand had been made for clearing documentation related to the meter installations. Officials further learned that some of the amount had already been accepted and the remaining balance was allegedl asked from the complainant.

Based on the verification, the ACB decided to make a trap.

The trap was executed at the MSEDCL Subdivision-2 office in Hadapsar. According to the ACB, Londhe was caught red handed while allegedly accepting the bribe amount of Rs. 7,500 from the complainant.