07 April,2026 09:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Aditi Alurkar
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A senior official of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education's Mumbai Divisional Board in Vashi was caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while allegedly accepting a bribe on Tuesday.
The complainant, an electrical contractor, had been awarded a one-year contract for the maintenance and repair of office electrical equipment at the board's Vashi office in Navi Mumbai, effective from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026.
Under the agreement, the contractor was to be paid Rs. 26,400 per month along with 18 per cent GST, taking the total monthly payment to Rs. 31,152. A formal work order had been issued accordingly.
The contractor submitted monthly tax invoices of Rs. 31,152 for the period between November 2025 and February 2026 to the divisional board office in Vashi for approval and payment processing.
According to the complaint, Rajendra Manik Ahire, Divisional Head (Class I officer), allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 22,176 - approximately seven per cent of the total bill amount of Rs. 3,16,800 - for clearing the dues. The demand was reportedly made through Manohar Laxman Pawar, the Bhandar Branch Head.
Following this, the contractor approached the ACB's Navi Mumbai unit and filed a formal complaint on March 25, 2026.
During a verification exercise conducted by the ACB on April 6, 2026, officials confirmed that Ahire had demanded a reduced bribe amount of Rs. 20,000. Investigators also found that Pawar had allegedly abetted and encouraged the demand.
Acting on the complaint, the ACB laid a trap on April 7, 2026. During the operation, Ahire allegedly accepted Rs. 20,000 from the complainant inside his office cabin.
He was immediately apprehended by the trap team at around 1 pm and taken into custody.
Officials said the trap panchnama process is currently underway. A case is being registered against both Ahire and Pawar under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
