Pune, 6th December 2025: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Pune arrested a government-appointed liquidator and a government-panel auditor for demanding a massive ₹8-crore bribe linked to a dispute in Ekta Cooperative Housing Society in Dhankawadi. The duo was detained in Shaniwar Peth while accepting ₹30 lakh as the first instalment.
A membership dispute between old and new members has been ongoing in the society since 2020. After a departmental inquiry, the society was placed under liquidation in 2024, and Vinod Manikrao Deshmukh (50) was appointed as the liquidator.
In 2023, 32 new members had applied for share certificates under then administrator Bhaskar Rajaram Pol (56). Their applications were later closed as they had not attended a scheduled hearing. Although disposed of, the applications were kept pending in practice, leading to further confusion.
According to the complaint, when members approached the officials again in September 2025, Pol allegedly demanded ₹3 crore for himself and liquidator Deshmukh to clear the 32 pending share certificates. He also allegedly sought an additional ₹5 crore to ensure that a bidder suggested by the complainant would get the society’s land in an upcoming auction, bringing the total demand to ₹8 crore.
ACB officers conducted a verification on 5 December and confirmed the demand. The accused then instructed the complainant to pay ₹30 lakh as an advance. A trap was laid the same evening near the complainant’s office in Shaniwar Peth, where both Deshmukh and Pol were caught accepting the money.
A case has been registered at the Vishrambaug Police Station under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The operation was carried out under the guidance of ACB SP Shirish Sardeshpande, Additional SP Ajit Patil and Arjun Bhosale. Assistant Commissioner of Police Neeta Misal led the trap team, and Inspector Pravin Nimbalkar is conducting further investigation.
