Pune: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested two senior officials of B. J. Government Medical College while they were accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh for approving a furniture supply bill.
The arrested individuals were identified as Senior Assistant Jayant Parvat Choudhary (49) and Office Superintendent Suresh Vishwanath Bonawale (53). The ACB's action on Wednesday (April 2) sent shockwaves through the college administration and Sassoon Hospital.
The businessman approached ACB on April 1 and filed a complaint. Following this, an ACB team, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande, conducted a verification. During the process, the accused reaffirmed their demand for ₹1.3 lakh, but later agreed to settle for ₹1 lakh.
According to ACB Deputy Superintendent of Police Dayanand Gawade, the complainant is a furniture supplier who provided furniture worth ₹20 lakh to B. J. Medical College in 2023. When he submitted a ₹10 lakh bill for approval, the two officials demanded a bribe of ₹1.3 lakh – 13% of the bill amount.
Further investigation revealed that Bonawale directed Choudhary to collect the bribe on his behalf. Acting on this information, ACB officials set up a trap at the college premises and caught both individuals red-handed while accepting the bribe.
Following the arrest, a case was registered at Bund Garden Police Station, and the investigation is being led by Inspector Prasad Lonare.