Dhar district project coordinator held while taking Rs 1 lakh bribe

Indore: Indore lokayukta police team caught Dhar education centre district project coordinator red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh on Monday.

The coordinator Pradeep Kumar Khare had allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 17 lakh in exchange for signing completion certificates for school infrastructure projects.

The matter involved construction of 122 toilets on various govt school premises across Dhar district under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. A budget of approximately Rs 3.42 crore was sanctioned for the work.

The complainant, Dilip Sadhav, who is posted as in-charge assistant engineer at the centre, was supervising the execution of the projects.

According to the complaint, Khare demanded a 5% commission, amounting to Rs 17 lakh, on the total sanctioned project value. He allegedly conditioned his signature on the mandatory project completion certificates, required prior to the finalisation of the work, upon receiving the payment.

Unable to comply with the extortion demand, Sadhav filed a formal complaint with lokayukta superintendent of police Rajesh Sahay. Following a routine verification process, the anti-corruption agency laid a trap to catch Khare.

The lokayukta police have registered a case against the accused under Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.