Kyiv:

A Ukrainian deputy energy minister accused of taking a bribe worth half a million dollars has been arrested along with three alleged accomplices, Ukraine’s SBU Security Service said on Monday.

The minister, whom the SBU did not name, allegedly demanded mining industry officials pay him to transfer equipment from mines in the frontline eastern Donetsk region to a coal basin in western Ukraine.

“The equipment in question is unique and scarce, belonging to one of the state-owned coal companies located in the most active area of the eastern frontline — Pokrovsk,” the SBU said in a statement.

“In the spring of 2024, industry representatives approached the deputy energy minister to obtain permission to evacuate the equipment from the war zone and use it at mines in a western region,” it added.

“However, the official, whose duties included the preservation of mining equipment, demanded money for its removal,” it said.

The minister took the payment with the help of three alleged accomplices, all of whom were caught “red handed” after the minister had received part of the bribe, according to the statement.

The SBU did not disclose the identity of the four accused, posting photos of its officers arresting the suspects with their faces blurred.

But Ukrainian opposition MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak named the minister as Oleksandr Kheilo, a deputy energy minister.

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers later issued an order to dismiss Kheilo from his post, according to a government Telegram channel.

Ukraine, which had severe corruption problems even before Russia’s 2022 invasion, has pledged to bolster efforts to combat graft as it seeks EU membership and to reassure its Western military backers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rose to power on a platform of ending corruption, and has fired a number of officials including his defence minister last year over graft scandals in the army.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Karbi Anglong (Assam):

The sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam on Thursday caught red-handed and arrested a police Sub-Inspector in Karbi Anglong district while accepting a bribe.

The Vigilance & Anti-Corruption team also recovered a cash amount of Rs 17.74 lakh from his official residence. The arrested police Sub-Inspector was identified as Sanat Kumar Mudoi, Officer-In-Charge of Dokmoka Police Station in Karbi Anglong district.

Rajib Saikia, Joint Director of DIPR told ANI that, a complaint was received at the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, alleging that Sub Inspector of Police (UB) Sanat Kumar Mudoi, Officer-In-Charge of Dokmoka Police Station had demanded Rs 40,000 as bribe from the complainant for allowing disturbance free movement of the complainant’s trucks carrying Iron Rods/cement through Dokmoka police station area.

“Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Directorate for taking necessary legal action against the public servant. Accordingly, a trap was laid on Thursday by a team from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam, at Dokmoka Police Station. Sub Inspector (UB) Sanat Kumar Mudoi, Officer-In-Charge of the Police Station was caught red-handed, in the presence of independent witnesses, immediately after he accepted Rs 4,000 as part of the demanded bribe from the complainant. The tainted bribe money has been recovered from his possession and has been seized accordingly, in the presence of independent witnesses,” Rajib Saikia said.

Further, a search of the official residence of the Sub-Inspector located inside the premises of the Police Station has been conducted by the team from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.

“Cash amount of Rs 17,74,500 has been recovered and seized in the presence of independent witnesses. Finding sufficient evidence against the public servant, he has been arrested by the team of the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam,” Rajib Saikia said.

In this connection, a case was registered in ACB Police Station on 12/10/2023 vide Case No. 82/2023, under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

Necessary legal follow-up action is underway.

Thane:

An official from the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), a state government undertaking, was arrested for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a man in Thane district, an official from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said on Friday.

The ACB on Thursday registered an offence against senior clerk Sripat Khade (52) of the MJP under the Prevention of Corruption Act, deputy superintendent of police, ACB Thane, Sanju John said.

The accused official allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 from the complainant for registering him as a contractor with the MJP, the official said.

The MJP is a state government undertaking that provides technical sanctions and implements water supply and sewerage projects.

The ACB’s Thane unit on Thursday laid a trap and arrested the accused while he was accepting the bribe amount, he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)