ACB arrests Parbhani DySP, constable in ₹2-cr bribery case

The anti-corruption bureau officials have arrested a Parbhani based sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) - a deputy superintendent of police rank officer, and his sub-ordinate for allegedly demanding ₹2 crore bribe from a businessman

The anti-corruption bureau officials have arrested a Parbhani based sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) - a deputy superintendent of police rank officer, and his sub-ordinate for allegedly demanding ₹2 crore bribe from a businessman.

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An audio clip of the businessman’s conversation with his deceased friend’s wife had gone viral in Parbhani district and based on the viral clip the accused policemen had threatened to take legal action against the businessman and had demanded money for not taking the action.

The ACB later seized ₹25 lakh in cash from the SDPO’s Dadar residence.

The arrested policemen are identified as Rajendra Pal, 55, SDPO, Shelu division, Parbhani and Ganesh Chavan 37, police Naik, Shelu division.

The complainant in the case is a businessman and his friend had died in a road accident on May 3. A case of causing death by negligence and rash and negligent driving was registered at the Selu police station in Parbhani district in connection with the accident, and one person was also arrested in the case.

The complainant businessman wanted to console his friend’s wife and hence he had called her from one of his employee’s phones. “The telephonic conversation between them got recorded in the employee’s phone and later he sent it to his colleagues and the audio clip went viral in the entire district,” said an ACB officer.

“Some content of the audio clip was little objectionable and based on this audio clip the accused, SDPO Pal, had contacted the complainant businessman and summoned him to his office on July 9.

“Pal threatened the businessman of strict legal action based on the viral audio clip and demanded ₹2 crore for not registering a case against him,” said ACP Neelam Waval, ACB spokesperson.

After bargaining by the complainant, the matter was settled at ₹1.5 crore. Since then Pal has been regularly calling the businessman and threatening him to pay or else face the case. But as the businessman did not want to pay, he approached ACB.

The complainant didn’t trust local authorities, hence he came to Mumbai and submitted a complaint to DG, ACB in Mumbai on Thursday.

ACB Mumbai unit was put on the job and after verification of the complaint the ACB Mumbai team went to Parbhani and late in the evening on Friday arrested Chavan while accepting ₹10 lakh as the first instalment of the bribe amount. Pal too was arrested on early Saturday morning, said ACP Waval.

Following the arrests, Pal’s Dadar residence was searched and ₹25 lakh in cash was seized. He has other houses and searches are being conducted there as well, Waval added.

Soon proceeding for amassing disproportionate assets would also be commenced against Pal, said another ACB officer.