Earlier this month police launched an investigation into claims that the lord mayor of Leicester used his influence to push through planning applications and that an official took cash bribes.
Detectives from Leicestershire’s financial crime unit have confirmed they are investigating the allegations made against Rashmikant Joshi, pictured, and a planning officer, who has not been named, in a letter to the council leader, Sir Peter Soulsby, who is also the city mayor.
Mr Joshi, who has been a councillor since 2005, has been accused of acting like a “bully” to push through applications for friends. Officers have been investigating the claims for two weeks but would not reveal details of their inquiry or whether they had interviewed anyone at the council.
In the letter, seen by The Times, a member of the public wrote that a representative from an organisation linked to the lord mayor had boasted about how easy it was to get planning approval for renovations to their building.
The council passed the letter to the police, but would not answer questions on the issue. The letter went on to urge Sir Peter to intervene personally, adding: “I think this is corruption and this is wrong and I am complaining about this. The council website is not clear about who to report this to. So please take my complaint to the right people. Even look yourself if possible.”
The author of the letter, whose name is being withheld to protect their identity, said they feared reprisals from “powerful people” if it emerged that they had blown the whistle. They added that the planning official was “cheating the council in collecting money privately just like Indian corruption practice” and was “proud of their corrupt practices” and that Mr Joshi “should not behave like a bully”.
A police spokeswoman said: “Leicestershire police’s economic crime unit has received a report relating to alleged criminal offences in office. Further inquiries are being carried out into it.”
A city council spokesman said: “I can confirm that a letter making allegations of corruption against one councillor and one employee has been referred to Leicestershire police. In line with our procedures, allegations of this type are appropriately referred to the police in the first instance.” The lord mayor did not respond to the media for requests for comment.
