Mumbai: Crime branch officer arrested for accepting ₹6 lakh bribe

The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has arrested a Mumbai crime branch officer for allegedly accepting ₹6 lakh bribe from a woman to not take legal action against her husband and his friend in an arms seizure and car theft case.

The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has arrested a Mumbai crime branch officer for allegedly accepting ₹6 lakh bribe from a woman to not take legal action against her husband and his friend in an arms seizure and car theft case.

The Mumbai crime branch officer allegedly accepted ₹6 lakh bribe

The arrested officer, assistant police inspector Nagesh Puranik, 45, was posted in the property cell of the crime branch.

The unit recently seized illegal arms and its investigation led the officers to a car theft incident. Names of two Navi Mumbai residents emerged as suspects in the investigation of car theft matter.

Puranik then contacted them and asked the wife of one of the two suspects to arrange ₹12 lakh for not taking any legal action against the two, the ACB said.

“Puranik was initially paid ₹4 lakh by the complainant woman. But later the officer started asking her about rest of the bribe money. She did not want to give more money to him and hence approached the anti-corruption bureau’s office in Worli on Thursday.

ACB officials verified her allegations and then made her to bargain with the officer. After bargaining with Puranik, the final bribe amount was settled at ₹4 lakh.

Puranik asked her to hand over the money on Friday itself. And while accepting ₹2 lakh of the bribe money he was caught red handed by the ACB officials.

He has been booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and would be produced in the court on Saturday.