Thane: A class-one health officer of Thane Municipal Corporation was arrested for accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh as the first installment from a private firm. The officials had demanded Rs 15 lakh as 10 per cent commission for approving a tender of 30 ventilators from the firm.
The police said the complainant, an employee of Immunoshop India Private limited met Dr Raju Murudkar, 55, health officer of Thane Municipal Corporation on April 6, 2021. "Murudkar told him about passing a tender of 30 ventilators for the corporation from his firm. However, he had demanded a 10 per cent commission for the deal that was Rs 15 lakh. On April 7, 2021, Murudkar again contacted the complainant and demanded Rs 5 lakh as the first installment from the commission he was to be given," said a police officer from ACB, Thane.
The police said Murudkar had asked the complainant to meet with the cash on April 8, 2021, Thursday at his Lifeline private hospital, Ambedkar Road, sector 3, Airoli, Navi Mumbai. Accordingly, on Thursday, a trap was laid and Murudkar was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe of Rs 5 lakh at his private hospital," added the officer.
A case has been registered against him under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and further investigation is been carried out by Anti Corruption Bureau, Thane who laid the trap.