INDIA. Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested three persons attached to the Kamptee Cantonment Board (KCB), Nagpur in Maharashtra, in a bribery case related to recruitment in the board on Wednesday.
The Cantonment Board is a local self-government body constituted under the Cantonments Act 1924, under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The Kamptee Cantonment Board caters to the civic needs of the population, both Army and civil residing therein and is engaged in improving the quality of their lives.
“The accused were identified as Deep Ramesh Saktel, Safai Karmachari (a sanitation worker), KCB, Chandrashekhar Kuwarlal Chidhalore, a candidate selected for the post of a gardener and Sheetal Ramteke, a nursery teacher working on a contract basis in the KCB. They were remanded to police custody till April 21 by the Special Judge, CBI Cases, Nagpur,” a CBI statement read.
In the FIR, Deep Ramesh Saktel, Chandrashekhar Kuwarlal Chidhalore, Chandrashekhar Krishnaji Lanjewar, Ex-Vice President, KCB, and an unknown official of KCB, were named as being involved in the recruitment scam.
Defence officials clarified that no service members or uniformed personnel were involved in the scam, and the arrested accused were civilian employees.
A case was registered against the accused on the allegations that they, in connivance with the private persons (touts), were running a racket of recruitment wherein they were approaching the candidates and assuring them jobs as “Assistant Teacher”, “gardener” and “Safai Karamchari” and other posts, in lieu of huge bribes.
It was further alleged that Lanjewar (ex-elected Ward Member) was regularly in touch with Saktel to seek information about the eligible candidates whose names appeared in the list published by the KCB.
In one such case, Saktel contacted Chidhalore, who had appeared for the post of gardener and assured him of his selection. Chidhalore Job paid an initial amount of Rs. 50,000 to Sakte and agreed to pay the remaining amount subsequently.
However, during the deal, the CBI laid a trap and caught Saktel while accepting the first instalment of a total bribe of Rs. 11,50,000/- on behalf of Lanjewar and other officials of KCB. Chidhalore, who gave the bribe, was also arrested.
“During the investigation, the role of a Nursery Teacher- Sheetal Ramteke, working on a contract basis in KCB School (also a close associate of Lanjewar), came to light, and she was taken into custody. Searches were conducted at the accused’s residential premises, which led to the recovery of incriminating documents. Lanjewar is absconding, and efforts are being made to trace him,” CBI officials said. Further investigation is in progress.
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