PANJIM: Deputy Sarpanch of Socorro village panchayat was on Monday caught red-handed accepting a bribe from a local person to waive off a fine for running a business without a trade licence.
Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) booked Maya Keni while accepting Rs 6,000 from Mukundraj Govind Mundras, also a traffic sentinel, who was recently rewarded for reporting traffic offences.
The St Cruz resident had lodged a complaint with Anti Corruption Branch that Keni demanded a bribe of Rs 7,000 apart from official fees of Rs 11,500 for waiving off the fine to be imposed by the Panchayat on him for running the business without trade licence. The demanded bribe amount was subsequently reduced to Rs 6,000 on the request of complainant.
It is learnt that the complainant had applied for a trade licence after being issued a notice by the panchayat but Keni reportedly continued demanding the bribe.
“Accordingly a trap was laid by Anti Corruption Branch in the presence of independent panch witnesses and the accused Keni was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe amount of Rs 6,000 from the complainant in the office of village panchayat, Socorro,” an ACB official said.
An FIR has been registered under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Keni has been admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim after she complained of uneasiness.
