Pune: An Assistant Police Sub-Inspector (ASI) from Paud Police Station (under Pune Rural Police Force) was caught red-handed by the Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while accepting a bribe of Rs 35,000 in exchange for not seizing a vehicle involved in a registered case.
The accused has been identified as Sachin Balasaheb Shinde (45), a resident of Green Florencia Society, Sus Gaon, Mulshi Tehsil.
According to ACB officials, the 45-year-old complainant approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau alleging that Shinde had demanded a bribe of Rs 1 lakh to avoid seizing his vehicle and to provide assistance in an ongoing investigation related to an accident case registered at Paud Police Station.
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The complainant’s vehicle had been involved in an accident, following which a clash broke out between two groups in Mulshi tehsil. Cross-complaints were filed, and a case was registered against the complainant. The investigation was being handled by ASI Shinde.
The complaint was received by the ACB on Wednesday (18th February). During verification conducted on Friday (February 20), it was confirmed that Shinde initially demanded Rs 1 lakh and later agreed to accept Rs 35,000 as part of a settlement.
Based on the complaint, a trap was laid on Friday evening at the Mulshi Beat Office under Paud Police Station by a team from the Solapur unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Prashant Chaugule. Shinde was caught while accepting the Rs 35,000 bribe from the complainant.
A case has been registered against him at Paud Police Station, and further investigation is underway.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande and Additional Superintendents Ajit Patil and Arjun Bhosale. Police Inspector Shailaja Shinde is conducting further investigation.
Notably, the complainant had specifically requested that the operation be conducted by an ACB team from outside Pune to ensure impartiality. Accordingly, the Solapur unit executed the trap operation.
