13 February,2026 03:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal. File Pic
A clerk from the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly accepting a bribe at Mantralaya, the state secretariat in Mumbai. According to the ACB, Rajendra Dherange was caught red-handed on Thursday while allegedly taking Rs 35,000 from a complainant. The complainant had sought restoration of his medical licence. The clerk was posted on the second floor of Mantralaya and was responsible for preparing papers for departmental hearings.
Maharashtra FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal said the incident was serious and assured strict action. "What has happened is serious. The accused will have to face the consequences. He was tasked with preparing papers for departmental hearings," Zirwal told reporters in New Delhi.
He also said he was ready to step down if any connection between him and the accused is proven. "You all know my conduct. I don't indulge in such things. If any link to me is proved, I will quit," he said.
When asked if he holds moral responsibility, Zirwal said yes, but made it clear that the accused would not be spared.
The Congress party strongly criticised the BJP-led Mahayuti government over the incident.
Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad called the arrest "shocking and shameful." In a social media post, she said if bribery is happening openly in Mantralaya, citizens have nowhere left to seek justice. She demanded the immediate suspension of the arrested clerk and a detailed probe to find out whether the case involves a wider network.
Gaikwad also questioned who the intended beneficiaries of the bribe were and asked for the truth to be made public. She claimed that a "pay-and-get-your-work-done culture" has spread under the current regime.
Earlier, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that "bribery and commission-taking are happening openly in the Mantralaya under the Mahayuti government." He demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis disclose full details of the case and remove the minister concerned.
The controversy has intensified political tensions in the state, with the opposition demanding accountability and the minister promising strict action if any wrongdoing is established.
(With PTI Inputs)
