Mumbai: PSI flee with bribe money during ACB trap, booked in graft case

Troubled with the harassment and corruption from a police officer, a man has lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The victim had approached Saki Naka police station to get a complaint lodged after his son was allegedly assaulted. The accused police officer not only did not register a case but made the victim and his son sit at the police station the entire night and demanded money to return the mobile phone of the victim's son which the officer had taken in his custody. When the ACB sleuths laid a trap to nab the officer, he managed to flee with the bribed money.

The accused has been identified as Police Sub-Inspector Pravinkumar Pawar (30) from Saki Naka police station.

According to the ACB, in the early hours of Monday, the complainant had visited Saki Naka police station after his son suffered head injuries in a scuffle that broke out between children in his neighbourhood.

"The victim in his complaint had alleged that not only PSI Pawar made them sit in the police station entire night, but did not register their complaint either," said an ACB official.

The ACB official said, "The victim further alleged in his complaint that PSI Pawar demanded bribe to return mobile phone of the victim's son which the officer had taken in his custody. The victim did not wish to pay the bribe and approached the ACB instead. Verification of the allegations made by the complainant had established that the accused officer had demanded Rs. 5,000 bribe and had accepted Rs 3,500 finally settled amount from the victim. However, at the time of the trap, the accused officer managed to flee with the bribe amount in order to destroy the same."

The ACB has registered a case under section 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code and section 7 (Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of The Prevention of Corruption Act against PSI Pawar.