Mumbai, April 8 -- The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested the Mumbai divisional chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education for allegedly accepting a Rs.20,000 bribe to clear a contractor's pending bills. The accused, Rajendra Manik Ahire, 55, a (Class I ) officer posted at the board's Mumbai divisional office in Vashi, was caught red-handed in his cabin while accepting the bribe. Another official, Manohar Laxman Pawar, 50, a (Class III ) employee and store branch head, has been booked as a co-accused for allegedly facilitating the demand. According to ACB officials, the complainant is an electrical contractor who had been awarded a one-year contract for maintenance and repair work at the Vashi office. The contractor had submitted bills worth Rs.3.16 lakh for the period between November 2025 and February 2026. "The accused allegedly demanded 7% of the total bill amount to clear the dues," an ACB officer said. Ahire allegedly agreed to accept Rs.20,000 after negotiations, while Pawar played a role in conveying the demand. The contractor approached the ACB on March 25. The ACB then laid a trap on April 7. "Ahire accepted the bribe in his cabin and was apprehended with the tainted cash," an officer said. Both the accused are being booked under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988....