Mumbai: Police inspector caught red-handed while accepting bribe of Rs 13,000

Mumbai: The Mumbai unit of the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau on Thursday arrested a police inspector (administration) with the Mumbai Police, after he was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 13,000 from the wife of a molestation accused.

According to ACB officials, the accused, Haribhau Bankar (54), was posted at the Deonar police station in eastern Mumbai. Officials said that the complainant in the case is the wife of a man booked in a molestation case by the Deonar police on May 21. Bankar allegedly demanded Rs 25,000 from the complainant in exchange for helping her husband by getting his name removed from the FIR.

The complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, approached the ACB and submitted a complaint in writing earlier this week. The agency set about verifying her claims. In a telephonic conversation on Thursday which was monitored by an ACB team, Bankar allegedly demanded the same amount again and, after some negotiation, agreed to accept Rs 13,000.

Acting on the ACB's instructions, the complainant met Bankar on Thursday evening and gave him the agreed-upon amount. As soon as he accepted it, ACB officials, who were already waiting nearby in plain clothes, moved in and arrested him. He was charged with demanding and accepting a bribe under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

“Searches are being conducted at Bankar's office and residence so that any evidence pertinent to the case can be taken into custody. As per procedure, we will also be conducting a preliminary survey of Bankar's assets to check if there are grounds to start a Disproportionate Assets inquiry,” an ACB officer said.