Vadgaon Maval court JMFC under ACB scanner in bribery case

Pune: A judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) attached to Vadgaon Maval court is under the radar of anti-corruption bureau (ACB) sleuths in connection with the arrest of an impostor woman who had accepted a bribe of ₹2

Pune: A judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) attached to Vadgaon Maval court is under the radar of anti-corruption bureau (ACB) sleuths in connection with the arrest of an impostor woman who had accepted a bribe of ₹2.5 lakh stating that the decision will be done in favour of the complainant by “managing” the court that is handling the criminal case.

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The JMFC, who was in touch with the accused identified as Shubhavari Bhalchandra Gaikwad (29), a resident of Talegaon, has applied for anticipatory bail from the Pune district and sessions court. A first information report (FIR) was lodged at Dehu road police station under Sections 7 and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 on January 14, according to the police.

While hearing the anticipatory bail application of the JMFC, the district court in its order dated February 2 stated: “Read application. Heard learned advocate for the applicant. Perused FIR and the documents filed along with main application. Applicant is a judicial officer. From the documents, what appears is that she was in contact with main accused, namely, Shubhavari Gaikwad, who has been arrested in a trap laid by the anti­corruption bureau. On going through the statement of the applicant annexed to the application, there appears frequency of phone calls between herself and the main accused. The allegations are of very serious nature. Considering nature of allegations and considering the overall facts of the case, no interim relief can be granted to the public servant, unless opportunity of hearing is given to the State.”

The FIR lodged by ACB stated that Gaikwad impersonated as a court employee and identified herself as one Mhatre Madam as an alias. Gaikwad said that she would “manage” a court case lodged by Amul Co-operative Dairy in favour of the milkman who has been made an accused in the case. The initial bribe amount demanded was ₹5 lakh.

The case was filed as the milkman did not return the milk cooling machine to the company. She also made him speak to two persons claiming that they were judges. Instead, the milkman approached ACB sleuths and lodged a complaint against Gaikwad. She was caught red-handed with a bribe amount of ₹50,000 at Kiwale phata on January 13. The bribe was scaled down to ₹2.50 lakh as the milkman expressed his inability of pay the said amount followed by negotiations, the FIR stated.