Mumbai: Inspector, constable booked in graft case by ACB, Rs 4.81 lakh cash recovered

Mumbai: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials have arrested a lady police inspector and a constable from the traffic department for allegedly demanding bribe from a travel bus operator for not taking no-parking action on his buses. The ACB stated that the accused police officials had demanded a monthly bribe of Rs 1500 for each bus from the operator. During the office search of the inspector's office, the ACB found Rs 4.81 lakh kept in ten envelopes and seized the said unexplained cash.

The accused police officials have been identified as inspector Sheetal Malte (39) and constable Tushar Chavan (35), both posted at the Azad Maidan traffic division.

According to the ACB, the complainant runs a travel business and two of his buses are involved in ferrying MMRDA workers from Chembur to Cuffe Parade, daily. As per the complainant, since the past two weeks, penalising action were being done on both his buses by the traffic department. The complainant had met constable Chavan in this regard and the latter directed him to meet inspector Malte.

"The complainant had alleged that when he met Malte, she demanded Rs 2000 each per month, for allowing him to park his two buses in the jurisdiction of her traffic division. The complainant then complained to the ACB on Tuesday in this regard. A verification carried out by the ACB had revealed that the accused public servants had settled the bribe amount for Rs 1500 for each bus after negotiation," said an ACB official.

He added, "On Wednesday, a trap was laid and Chavan was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 3000 bribe from the complainant on behalf of Malte. Her office search resulted in seizure of Rs 4.81 lakh unexplained cash kept in ten envelopes. The accused persons have been booked under section 7 (Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of The Prevention of Corruption Act. Malte and Chavan have been arrested in the said case."