Mumbai cop arrested for accepting bribe from man selling exotic birds

The constable was deputed with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and was caught red-handed.

A constable from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), who was deputed with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe for not arresting a person who tried to sell two exotic alexandrine parakeet chicks.

The cop was arrested on charges of corruption. (Representational Image)

The accused, identified as Sharad Janardan Nimse, 31, was posted at CBD Belapur. He has been arrested on charges of corruption. “The complainant had two chicks for sale, for which he had posted an online advertisement on a website,” said an officer from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

The WCCB and state forest department jointly decided to lay down a trap, and posed as a customer. “One of the team members contacted the complainant and told him that he is interested in buying the chicks. He asked the complainant to bring the chicks to Mulund,” said the officer.

A trap was laid on Tuesday, in which Nimse and his team nabbed the complainant and took him to their office. “Nimse demanded Rs65,000 for not arresting him. After negotiation, he agreed to accept Rs 45, 000,” said the officer.

ACB stated that Nimse was working with the WCCB for the past one and half years. When contacted, WCCB stated that the offence is compoundable, as the parakeets fall under schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

However, they do not know if a case was registered against the complainant. “We will conduct a thorough enquiry in the case,” said M Maranco, WCCB’s regional deputy director (western region).