The anti-Corruption Bureau of the state had struck again in Pune after it arrested the aide of a deputy collector who had taken a bribe of Rs 2 lakh on Wednesday night. He had accepted the bribe in settling a land deal in Mulshi Taluka.

Kiran Bapu Mahajan, the deputy collector of the tenancy branch of the Pune district collectorate, and his assistant, Rajesh Shivaji Randive, were caught while they were accepting the bribe from complainant Sanjeev Gawde.

Gawde had wanted to make a land purchase of 10 acres in the village. The tenancy branch, according to the rules has to make the final say to permit such deals. Gawde had submitted the documents over one and half years ago.

The SI of police said that the accused had asked him for a bribe of Rs 2 lakh for sanctioning the deal though he had all the required documents. Gawde had notified the ACB on the issue on June 14 who had conducted the operation to arrest the accused red-handed after several attempts to nab them.

Randive was caught red-handed, while accepting the money on behalf of Mahajan on the premises of the district collectorate. Police had also started probing their house for further details.

(AW- Anil)