Mumbai ACB Nabs Police Inspector Over Rs 1.5 Lakh Bribe in Property Dispute
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Mumbai, March 18 (NationPress) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Mumbai has detained an assistant police inspector (API) from the Khar police station for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh related to an investigation into a property dispute.
The implicated officer, Tushar Kale, aged 40, was caught in the act by an ACB monitoring team while he was accepting the bribe from a complainant.
Kale, who is stationed at the Khar police station, had been instructed by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Bandra to probe a property dispute case and provide a report. According to ACB officials, this case involved the brother of the complainant, who was advocating for a favorable outcome in the ongoing property issue.
During the investigation, after taking the brother's statement, Kale allegedly suggested a bribe by telling the complainant to "keep us in mind as well." Upon further contact, the officer reportedly demanded Rs 3 lakh to guarantee a favorable inquiry report.
Reluctant to comply with the demand, the complainant reported the incident to the ACB, which subsequently verified the information and set up a trap.
During the negotiations, Kale consented to accept a reduced bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh. The payment was organized as per the trap's strategy, and as soon as Kale took the bribe money, ACB officials moved in and apprehended him on the spot.
The officer was promptly taken into custody and charged under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The bribe amount was recovered from his possession during the operation.
An ACB spokesperson confirmed the arrest followed the officer being caught accepting illegal payments in exchange for influencing the official inquiry report.
"The trap was effectively executed based on credible information provided by the complainant," the official stated.
Further investigations are ongoing to determine whether Kale has engaged in similar activities in other cases or if other officers were involved.
The ACB has commenced a thorough examination of his conduct while handling court-directed inquiries.
This arrest emphasizes the ongoing issues surrounding corruption within police ranks, particularly in property dispute cases where officers wield significant influence over their reports to the courts.
Authorities have assured that the investigation will be comprehensive to ensure accountability.