Another PCMC employee caught taking bribe

As many as six PCMC employees have been caught red-handed taking graft by ACB sleuths in the last five months — all this under the rule of the BJP which is in the saddle in its over three-decade-long history.

The arrest of another civic employee while taking bribe on Monday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) chief withholding two increments of 11 engineers in a cable theft case have once again exposed the fact that the malaise of bribery and corruption runs deep in the PCMC system. As many as six PCMC employees have been caught red-handed taking graft by ACB sleuths in the last five months — all this under the rule of the BJP which is in the saddle in its over three-decade-long history.

On Monday, ACB arrested K B Shinge, an accountant with the water supply department of PCMC, while taking the bribe for clearing the bill of a contractor. Shinge had allegedly demanded Rs 1,000 from the contractor who then complained to the ACB, which laid a trap and nabbed him. With this latest action, the ACB has since March arrested six PCMC employees for demanding and accepting the bribe. On March 22, Balasaheb Rathod from the education department was caught taking a bribe of Rs 20,000. On the same day, acting education officer Alka Kamble was nabbed by the ACB while taking a bribe of Rs 20,000.

One of those arrested included the then municipal commissioner Dinesh Waghmare’s steno on April 24. Waghmare was not in the office on the day his steno was caught in the parking lot of the PCMC headquarters. The steno had allegedly demanded Rs 12 lakh for clearing the files of a contractor from the commissioner. This incident happened just a day before the incumbent Shravan Hardikar was slated to take charge.

On April 27, Ajay Sinnarkar from the anti-encroachment department was caught taking a bribe of Rs 6,000. On May 13, Tanaji Date, an assistant health officer, was nabbed taking a bribe of Rs 10,000. Immediately after he took charge and was grilled by journalists over the state of affairs in the PCMC, Hardikar wasted no time in holding an urgent meeting of heads of various departments and issued warning to the employees that they would be in trouble if they try to indulge in any illegal act. On Monday, Hardikar put on a brave face when The Indian Express approached him. “The ACB action only means that the system is working…those who do wrong things will be caught. People are coming forward and lodging complaints against the wrong-doers. I had already warned the employees on this count, but some bad eggs who refused to pay heed are landing themselves in trouble,” he said, conceding that the “malaise runs deep” in the PCMC.

Hardikar said all the employees have been sensitised about the need to ensure proper functioning of the civic body. When asked whether there was a need for a separate anti-corruption department in the civic headquarters, the civic chief said it was up to the ACB to take the call. “But I think ACB already has its office in Pune…,” he added. BJP, which rules PCMC, too said it was not a blot on its regime. “This kind of action never happened during NCP rule which always shielded the corrupt. Under the BJP rule, the corrupt are getting caught and exposed,” said BJP general secretary Sarang Kamtekar.

Meanwhile, last week, the PCMC chief decided to withhold two increments of 11 engineers who have been held guilty by a committee in a case relating to cable theft. His decision has drawn praise from civic activists as the NCP, during its rule, had decided not to act against the errant engineers. “I am going step by step. In this case, the 11 engineers were found guilty after a thorough probe was conducted against them,” he said. Hardikar, however, played down the charges that the engineers got away with lighter punishment. The BJP said that the cable theft incident happened during the NCP regime which tried to shield the officials. “Under our regime, we are not sparing the corrupt. That is our strong message…” said Kamtekar. Activist D G Baliga said, “This is just the tip of the iceberg. The PCMC administration needs to dig deep to find out how things have been going wrong in the PCMC.”

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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