Project officer, peon & middleman booked on bribe charges

Times News NetworkBarwani: Indore unit of Lokayukta Police on Tuesday evening caught a middleman while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 on behalf of women and child development department officials in Thikri area of Barwani district.Police have booked project officer Dhanna Lal Dangi, peon Dinesh Khatwase and the middleman Rajesh Patidar, a tea seller, under relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and BNS, 2023, SP Lokayukta Rajesh Sahay told TOI.“The complainant, Urmila Solanki, a resident of Sangoda Bedipura village in Anjad tehsil of Barwani district, was appointed as anganwadi sahayika at Sangoda Bedipura anganwadi centre on Sept 17, 2025. She alleged that she had not received her honorarium for nearly eight months since her appointment,” he said.The SP said that Dangi and Khatwase, both posted in women and child development department in Thikri project office, demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant for releasing her pending honorarium of Rs 52,000.After receiving the complaint, the Lokayukta Police conducted a verification, during which the allegations were found to be prima facie correct. The SP said that Khatwase had asked Urmila to hand over the bribe amount to tea vendor Patidar.