The Divisional Chairman of the Mumbai Division of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), Rajendra Ahire, was arrested by the Navi Mumbai Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) after allegedly being caught accepting a bribe at the board’s office in Vashi.
According to ACB officials, Ahire, 55, was apprehended during a trap operation after allegedly demanding and accepting ₹22,176 from a contractor in exchange for approving pending payment bills related to maintenance work carried out at the state board office building.
The complainant, an electrical contractor, had been awarded a one-year contract for the maintenance and repair of the board’s Vashi office from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026. The contractor approached the ACB in March, alleging that Ahire had demanded a seven percent commission on a bill amounting to approximately ₹3.16 lakh for work completed between November 2025 and February 2026.
Investigators said the demand was allegedly conveyed through Manohar Pawar, head of the stores department. Following the complaint, the ACB conducted a verification exercise, during which the bribery demand was reportedly confirmed.
Subsequently, officials laid a trap at the state board office in Vashi. During the operation, Ahire was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting the money from the complainant in his office cabin. Following the arrest, an FIR was registered against him under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Vashi police station.
The arrest has drawn attention because Ahire had earlier played a role in exposing another alleged financial irregularity involving educational institutions. In February, based on a complaint filed by him, police registered a case against retired Deputy Director of Education Nitin Upasani and 18 others in connection with an alleged Shalarth ID scam.
The case involved accusations of cheating, forgery, and criminal breach of trust linked to two educational institutions in Alibaug and Khopoli. According to Ahire’s complaint, forged documents were allegedly used to generate Shalarth IDs, enabling the recruitment of teachers who subsequently received government salary grants.
Investigators in that case alleged that the fraudulent appointments occurred from 2018 onwards during Upasani’s tenure as divisional chairman of the education board. Authorities estimated that the alleged scam resulted in the misappropriation of nearly ₹1.25 crore in government funds through salary payments made to teachers appointed using forged records.
While the investigation into the Shalarth ID case continues, the focus has now shifted to the corruption charges against Ahire. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is expected to examine whether similar practices were followed in other contracts or administrative approvals handled during his tenure.
The arrest underscores ongoing efforts by anti-corruption agencies to scrutinize irregularities within public institutions and ensure accountability in the administration of educational bodies across Maharashtra.
