ACB To Seek Court Nod For Action Against Additional Sessions Judge Booked In Graft Case

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) will seek permission from the Principal District Judge to initiate further action against Additional Sessions Judge Aejazuddin S. Kazi, who has been booked in a bribery case.

According to an ACB official, the agency will submit an application to the Principal District Judge and subsequently obtain approval from the High Court before arresting the judge.

The ACB statement said Mazgaon court clerk Chandrakant Vasudev had demanded a bribe of ₹25 lakh — allegedly for himself and the judge — to alter a verdict in favour of the complainant. After the complainant refused to pay and approached the ACB on November 10, a verification was conducted.

The agency found that after negotiations, Vasudev agreed to accept ₹15 lakh. During a trap operation on Tuesday, he was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe. The ACB further claimed that Vasudev then called Judge Kazi to inform him about the receipt of the money, and the judge “also agreed to it.”

Vasudev was produced before the Special ACB Court on Wednesday and was remanded to ACB custody till November 16.