Anti-Corruption Bureau wants to probe ex-minister's alleged connection in bribery case

MUMBAI: The Anti-Corruption Bureau ( ACB) of Maharashtra Police today told a special court that it wants to probe a former state minister's alleged connection with three persons who were arrested in a bribery case.

The accused Sanjay Suradkar (45), a desk officer with revenue department, and two middlemen Vaibhav Andhale and Devidas Dahifale (23), had been arrested in October last week near revenue office at World Trade Centre in South Mumbai after they allegedly took a bribe of Rs 23 lakh from a complainant - a property dealer who has a power of attorney of 18 acres Devasthan trust land in Pune district.

The trio had allegedly accepted the money from a Pune-based businessman, who needed a clearance for his 18 acres land.

The ACB said it had recovered Rs 23 lakh, which was to be given allegedly to the ex-minister for getting a copy of the order.

Later, during a search at the house of the former minister, the ACB sleuths had recovered five files.

"We told the court that the ACB has still not decided on whether to make the former minister an accused or a witness," said special public prosecutor Jai Singh Desai.

Desai told PTI that ACB wants to know if the three arrested accused had any connection with the minister and whether the latter was involved in the bribery case.

Meanwhile, the court today extended till tomorrow the police custody of the arrested accused.