Pune: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested an executive engineer of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL - Mahavitaran), Bhausaheb Machindra Sawant (51), for accepting a bribe of ₹2 lakh.

The amount was part of a total demand of ₹5 lakh in exchange for processing five pending files and approving the electricity load for a new building in Manjari.

The case came to light after an electrical contractor filed a complaint with the ACB. The contractor had been handling the setup of electric distribution points (DP) for five new buildings associated with his business clients.

The files related to these projects had been submitted to the Bund Garden office of Mahavitaran for approval, where Sawant was in charge.

In addition to these pending files, Sawant had also approved the electricity load for a new building in Manjari.

According to the complaint, Sawant demanded ₹5 lakh from the contractor as a bribe for processing the files and approving the electricity load.

The ACB team verified the complaint by conducting checks on 7th, 8th, 21st, and 22nd October. During the investigation, it was confirmed that Sawant had demanded the bribe and agreed to accept ₹2 lakh as an advance payment.

A trap was set at Mahavitaran's Bund Garden office, where Sawant was caught red-handed while accepting the ₹2 lakh bribe from the complainant. Following his arrest, a case was registered at Wanawadi Police Station, and further legal proceedings are underway.

This operation was led by Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande and Additional Superintendent Dr. Sheetal Janve, with Police Inspector Virnath Mane conducting the investigation.