In a dramatic case, Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials caught a man who was accepting bribe money allegedly on behalf of a policeman from Palghar. The police official involved had used code words for the bribe amount and had roped in a private person to collect the money. Despite all these precautions to avoid getting caught, the ACB officials outsmarted the accused and caught him red-handed.
According to the ACB, the complainant in the case works for a businessman from Vikramgarh in Palghar district. A criminal offence was registered against the businessman by the Vikramgarh police and on Sunday when the businessman and the complainant visited the police station, police constable Ashok Wagh had allegedly demanded a bribe from the businessman for not arresting him in the offence registered against him.
"Wagh had told the businessman that the complainant would pick up the bribe money and would hand him over the same. He had also taken the complainant's mobile number to coordinate further. Since the businessman did not want to pay a bribe, he approached the ACB on Monday. Same day, the complainant received a phone call from one Hrishikesh Donnar who spoke to the complainant in a coded manner saying sir had told you to come, when are you coming?" said an ACB official.
He added, "The complainant was provided a voice recorder and the ACB team laid a trap at the said place and was waiting for the complainant's signal once the bribe demand was made. Initially constable Wagh met the complainant and told him to hand over 7 to Donnar, who was also present at the spot at Patilpada Naka. Wagh and Donnar then left the place after the complainant said he would arrange for the money in 15 minutes. As per ACB's instruction, the complainant called up Donnar and asked him what exactly Wagh meant by 7, to which Donnar clarified, the demand was of Rs 70000. This communication was recorded in the digital recorder."
Donnar then met the complainant near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk to pick up the bribe amount and was caught red-handed by the ACB sleuths. A case has been registered on Tuesday by the ACB in the matter under the sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.
