Rationing Officer Arrested in Bribery Scandal

A rationing officer from the Civil Supplies Department, Sagar Sahebrao Varale, was apprehended for allegedly accepting a bribe totalling Rs 48,000, according to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

The ACB acted on a complaint by a shopkeeper who owns four fair-price outlets. The complainant claimed Varale demanded Rs 2,000 monthly from each shop under his jurisdiction. The total sum demanded amounted to Rs 48,000, which Varale described as a six-month commission.

Following the complaint, the ACB set up an operation and caught Varale red-handed as he allegedly accepted the bribe on May 19, leading to his arrest under the Prevention of Corruption Act, according to inspector Rupali Pol from the ACB’s Thane unit.

(With inputs from agencies.)