SR INSPECTOR, CONSTABLE HELD FOR TAKING BRIBE

NAVI MUMBAI: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Thane on Thursday nabbed a senior police official along with his subordinate for accepting a bribe of ₹25,000.

The accused, senior police inspector Jayraj Chapriya, posted with Anti-Narcotics Cell of Navi Mumbai and constable Iqbal Shaikh demanded ₹45,000 from the complainant, a pan masala vendor, in the APMC area in order to let him continue his business.

“The vendor did not have a shop and sold pan masala by roaming around in the market. Ideally, the narcotics cell is supposed to take action against anyone selling pan masala. Instead, he was allowed to continue his business by paying ₹45,000,” an official attached to the Thane ACB unit said.

The complainant initially paid ₹20,000 and he was again called by Shaikh on Thursday to pay the remaining amount. That was when he approached us and gave a complaint.

Along with a ‘panch’, the complainant visited Shaikh along with a hidden recorder. The complainant insisted that he wanted assurance from the senior officer that nobody else would ask any money from him and that was when Chapriya came into picture. Chapriya then assured him that there would be no harassment after he paid the money. Shaikh asked the complainant to pay ₹25,000 for the senior officer and ₹7,500 for himself.

“Shaikh was caught red handed accepting the money while on the basis of the assurance that Chapriya gave, even he was arrested. A total of ₹32,500 was seized from the accused,” the officer added.