Judge booked, clerk held for taking ₹15-lakh bribe in land dispute case

A Mumbai judge and his clerk were arrested for accepting a ₹15-lakh bribe to influence a land dispute case in favor of a businessman.

Mumbai: A 55-year-old additional sessions judge of the Civil Sessions Court in Mazgaon was booked and his clerk-cum-typist was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly demanding and accepting a ₹15-lakh bribe from a businessman in exchange for a favourable order in a land dispute case.

Judge booked, clerk held for taking ₹15-lakh bribe in land dispute case

According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the clerk, Chandrakant Vasudev, 40, allegedly approached the complainant claiming he could secure a judgment in his favour. He initially demanded ₹25 lakh — ₹10 lakh for himself and ₹15 lakh for the judge, Aejazuddin Kazi, who presides over the 14th court in Mazgaon.

The complainant, whose wife’s company’s land was allegedly encroached upon in 2015, had earlier moved the Bombay High Court, which in April 2016 restrained the creation of third-party rights. The matter was later transferred to Mazgaon court in March 2024, where a commercial suit was filed.

On September 9 this year, Vasudev reached out to the complainant over the phone, after a hearing in the matter, and informed him about the offer. He also arranged a meeting in Chembur on September 12, where he allegedly reiterated the demand for a ₹25-lakh bribe to secure a favourable order.

When the complainant refused to pay, Vasudev continued to call and pressure him. Finally, on November 10, the businessman approached the ACB’s Mumbai office in Worli and lodged a complaint. On the same day, as per the instructions of ACB, the complainant negotiated and brought down the amount to ₹15 lakh and decided to meet soon.

Following this, the ACB laid a trap and red-handedly caught Vasudev. “On Tuesday, Vasudev met the complainant, accepted the money and also informed the judge that the amount had been received. He was caught red-handedly and arrested,” said an official from ACB.

Subsequently, the judge was also booked as a co-accused under Sections 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration) and 12 (abetment of offences) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the officer added.