In a significant anti-corruption operation, the Lokayukta Police in Indore apprehended Pradeep Kumar Khare, the District Project Coordinator of the District Education Centre in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, while he was reportedly taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh. The arrest, which occurred on Monday, has caused a stir in the local education sector. Allegedly, Khare demanded the bribe from a subordinate engineer for the construction of toilets in government schools under the Central government’s ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.’
Approximately Rs 3.42 crore was allocated for building 122 toilets in various government school premises in Dhar district. The complainant, Dilip Sadhav, an Assistant Engineer-in-Charge at the District Education Centre, filed a formal complaint with the Indore Lokayukta office after facing repeated bribe requests. Acting on the complaint, Lokayukta Police nabbed Pradeep Kumar Khare red-handed while accepting the marked bribe of Rs 1 lakh.
The operation was overseen by senior Lokayukta officials, leading to the immediate arrest of the accused. Legal action has been initiated against Khare under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. This incident has raised concerns about the execution of educational infrastructure projects in the district, particularly under the ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’ aimed at enhancing basic facilities like sanitation in government schools.
