PUNE: A local court here remanded the standing committee chairman of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and four others to police custody till August 21 in a bribery case.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had arrested the PCMC's standing committee chairman and BJP corporator Nitin Landge, his personal assistant Dnyaneshwar Pingle, clerk Vijay Chavariya, computer operator Rajendra Shinde and peon Arvind Kamble in connection with the alleged bribery of Rs 1.18 lakh.
The accused were produced before additional sessions judge (special court) SB Hedaoo. "The court has sent all four accused to police custody till August 21," ACB DSP Seema Mehandale said. As per the complainant's statement, at least 16 people are involved in the case, the official said.
According to the ACB, the complainant runs an advertising agency and 28 of his tenders were passed in the standing committee of the PCMC. When the complainant did not get the work order, he approached Landge and his PA, who allegedly demanded a bribe equal to 3 per cent of the bid amount, that is Rs 10 lakh, the ACB stated.
Following negotiations, the bribe amount was fixed at Rs 6 lakh, and unwilling to pay the amount, the ad agency owner lodged the complaint with the ACB, it was stated. The accused on Wednesday demanded Rs 1.18 lakh, and three of them were caught while accepting the bribe.