Mumbai: Former Vasai-Virar civic chief Anil Pawar had started compelling builders, developers and architects to pay bribes to get approvals as soon as he assumed the charge and the files were not cleared till the bribe was paid, YS Reddy, suspended town planning department deputy director, told the ED. Reddy also apparently revealed that Pawar had pressured him for not taking his name and revealing facts.

Alleged Extent of Corruption

The agency has alleged that Pawar collected bribes amounting to Rs 169.18 crore; Rs 16.59 crore for turning a blind eye to illegal constructions, which were built already, and Rs 152.59 crores for giving permission to new ones. The ED recently submitted a prosecution complaint against 18 accused, while pegging the amount of laundered funds to Rs 300.92 cror

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