Navi Mumbai, Jan 13: The Thane Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested Supply Department Deputy Commissioner Anil Taksale, posted at Konkan Bhavan, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh
from a trader through private intermediaries. Two private individuals, identified as Sai Pritam Madhav Amin and Raja Ganesh Thevar, were also arrested in the case.
Bribe allegedly sought for relief in earlier case
According to the ACB, the bribe was demanded to provide relief in an earlier case registered against the complainant, allow his rice trading business to continue smoothly, and ensure that no future action would be taken by the department.
The complainant, who runs Ekvira Trading Company, had approached the ACB on January 5 after allegedly being asked to pay Rs 5 lakh as a one-time amount and Rs 2 lakh per month as a bribe.
The demand followed a raid conducted by the Supply Department on December 30 at the complainant’s godown, during which officials claimed to have found illegal rice stock. A case was subsequently registered against the complainant and his two partners at the Bhiwandi Taluka Police Station.
Trap laid in CBD Belapur
During verification on January 7, the ACB found that the accused official had agreed, through intermediaries, to accept Rs 5 lakh and a reduced monthly payment of Rs 1.5 lakh. Acting on this, the ACB laid a trap on Monday afternoon near Laxmi Hotel in the CBD Belapur area.
Raja Thevar was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 5 lakh from the complainant on the footpath outside the hotel, following which Sai Amin was taken into custody. Later in the evening, Deputy Commissioner Anil Taksale was arrested from Konkan Bhavan.
ACB statement
“The public servant demanded a bribe through private agents and attempted to misuse his official position to influence departmental action. The accused was arrested after the bribe amount was accepted during a trap operation,” a senior ACB official said.
An ACB officer further added, “Further investigation is underway to ascertain whether any other officials were involved and to verify if similar demands were made to other traders.”
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A case has been registered at the CBD Belapur Police Station under Sections 7, 7(a), and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Further investigation is ongoing.
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