NAVI MUMBAI: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Navi Mumbai, on Thursday arrested a senior official of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education for allegedly taking a bribe to grant exam concessions to a Class 10 student with a learning disability.
The accused, Sudam Lotan Chavan, 57, assistant superintendent and branch officer at the board’s Mumbai divisional office in Vashi, was caught red-handed accepting ₹8,000.
According to ACB officials, Chavan had initially demanded ₹10,000 from a private tutor to arrange a scribe for the February 2026 SSC examination and to facilitate a subject change for the student.
The tutor, who the student’s mother had authorised to complete the formalities, was first asked to pay a routine penalty of ₹200. However, Chavan allegedly called him aside and demanded the bribe to clear the application. The tutor subsequently approached the ACB on February 12.
ACB verified the complaint in the presence of panch witnesses on February 13 and laid a trap. Chavan allegedly agreed to settle for ₹8,000 and was caught accepting the money the same day. The money was seized and Chavan was taken into custody. Officials also seized his mobile phone and searched his residences in Vashi and Nashik.
An offence is being registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 at Vashi police station.