Pune: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested three individuals, including engineers working on a contractual basis at the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), for accepting a bribe of 50,000 rupees to approve a subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) at Saswad.

The arrested individuals are identified as Tejas Sampat Taware (32), Hemant Lalasahib Wandhekar (29), and Ramdas alias Babu Maruti Katke (48), a resident of Bhivri, Purandar, Pune.

A case was registered against the three at the Saswad Police Station under the Prevention of Corruption Act late Wednesday (August 7) night. The complainant had applied for a subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in his father's name.

Engineers Tejas Taware and Hemant Wandhekar had demanded a bribe to approve a subsidy of 2.5 lakh rupees.

The complainant's father received approval for a subsidy of 2.5 lakh rupees, with the first installment of 1 lakh rupees already disbursed. To release the remaining 1.5 lakh rupees into the complainant's father's bank account, engineers Taware and Wandhekar, through mediator Katke, demanded a bribe of 50,000 rupees.

Katke claimed to have connections at the PMRDA office. The complainant then approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Verification of the complaint was conducted, and Katke called the complainant to the Saswad bus station area with 50,000 rupees on Wednesday.

A trap was set, and Katke was caught accepting the bribe from the complainant.

The operation was conducted under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe and Additional Superintendent Dr. Sheetal Janve, with Deputy Superintendent Nitin Jadhav and his team executing the action. Police Inspector Prasad Lonare is investigating the case.