EOW cop flees after constable caught accepting ₹15 lakh bribe for him

In the meeting, Shelar demanded ₹50 lakh from the complainant for not arresting him and not opposing his bail, even if he or his accomplice were arrested. After negotiations, the demand was brought down to ₹35 lakh, which Shelar agreed to take in two installments

MUMBAI: An Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) police officer of the Mira Bhayander – Vasai Virar (MBVV) police is reported to be absconding since Thursday morning after a police constable was allegedly caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) accepting a bribe of ₹15 lakh on his behalf.

Police inspector, Mahendra Shelar.

ACB officials said that the police inspector, Mahendra Shelar, was earlier arrested in 2015 for a similar offense by the Raigad unit of ACB.

The 38-year-old complainant, who has a cheating case registered against him and his associate which is being investigated by the EOW, had been asked by Shelar to meet him.

In the meeting, Shelar demanded ₹50 lakh from the complainant for not arresting him and not opposing his bail, even if he or his accomplice were arrested. After negotiations, the demand was brought down to ₹35 lakh, which Shelar agreed to take in two installments.

After the meeting, the complainant approached the ACB and registered a case against Shelar.

On Thursday morning, Shelar sent constable Ganesh Vanve of the Bhayandar police station to meet the accused and accept the payment for him.

The officers laid a trap near the Surabhi apartments in Mira Road East and arrested Vanve, who had accepted the payment and was fleeing in his car. On questioning Vanve, he revealed that Shelar had sent him to collect the money.

“We have arrested Vanve. However, when we went to arrest Shelar, we found that he had already fled. We are trying to trace him at present,” said the ACB official.

According to ACB sources on September 10, 2015, Shelar, who was then attached to Sawantwadi police station, was arrested by the ACB Ratnagiri unit for accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 from the complainant in the case. After getting arrested Shelar was suspended from the police force but was reinstated years later and posted at Pelhar police station in MBVV.