The Mumbai Unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has booked a joint sub-registrar and an agent for allegedly demanding a bribe to provide registration documents for a flat. During searches at the accused public servant’s office, the ACB reportedly found unexplained cash, sources said.
The accused are identified as VM Yerapale, 35, a private agent from Santacruz, and joint sub-registrar GP Khot, 48, posted at the Khar office.
According to the ACB, a 55-year-old complainant had registered his flat at the Khar office on March 18. Yerapale, allegedly acting on Khot’s behalf, demanded Rs55,000 to release the registration documents. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB and filed a complaint on March 28. An investigation confirmed the allegations, which revealed that Yerapale had negotiated the bribe down to Rs35,000 on behalf of Khot.
Yerapale allegedly accepted Rs35,000 from the complainant, keeping Rs32,000 in his pocket while placing Rs3,000 in Khot’s office drawer. On Saturday, the ACB team seized Rs3,000 from the drawer and additionally discovered and confiscated Rs1.94 lakh of unexplained cash from the same location.
A case has been registered under sections 7A (taking undue advantage to influence public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by exercise of personal influence) and 12 (punishment for abetment of offences) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The ACB officials said that both the accused persons have been taken into custody for further investigation.
