NASHIK: Zilla Parishad Secondary Education Officer Dr Vaishali Zankar Veer, who was caught redhanded while accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh from the teacher of the educational institute, found absconding yesterday morning. As per the law, as the woman could not be arrested at night, the sleuths of ACB had released Dr Zankar at home on the indemnity bond by Zankar’s relatives.
However, as she did not appear before the police station, it became clear that she had absconded. While bringing the other two co-accused before the court yesterday, Judge M S Sheikh ordered search warrant for Vaishali Zankar-Veer and remanded the duo in police custody for two days. Meanwhile, in the Zilla Parishad, the Thane ACB had laid a trap and caught government vehicle driver Dnyaneshwar S Yeole redhanded while accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh from the complainant.
The driver confessed to the bureau that he accepted the bribe on the instructions of Education Officer Vaishali Pankaj Zankar-Veer In return for issuing the work order of 36 teachers to start regular pay as per the 20 per cent grant sanctioned to the school of the complainant’s institution, Dr Zankar had demanded a bribe of Rs 9 lakh each from the complainant through primary school teacher Pankaj R Dashpute.
Women cannot be arrested after sunset under the law. The abuse of this freedom by a class-one official is seen as a challenge to the law itself. So now Vaishali Zankar-Veer will be accused of taking bribe and also abusing the freedom given by law? It will also be interesting to see if any action is taken against her guaranter relatives.