Mumbai: ACB Arrests BMC Inspector For Seeking Bribe From Jeweller For Shutter & Board License

The Mumbai Unit of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a license inspector of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allegedly demanding an accepting bribe from a person to grant him a shutter and board license for a jewellery shop. The accused public servant has been identified as Ganpat Keshav Palaye, license inspector, posted at BMC's C-ward at Marine Lines.

Details of case

According to the ACB, the complainant works as an Accounts Assistant in a jewellery shop. The owner of the said shop had given responsibility to the complainant to get the shutter and board license of the said shop.

Accordingly, on March 12, when the complainant went to C-Ward office to apply for the shutter and board license, Palaye asked the complainant to bring the documents required for the license. The complainant then collected all the required documents and met Palaye after which the accused in order to provide the shutter board license allegedly demanded a bribe amount of Rs 12,000.

However, the complainant did not want to pay the bribe and approached the ACB on March 14, and filed a written complaint against the public servant. According to the complaint received, during the verification it was found that the public servant had settled the bribe amount to Rs 10,000.

Accused caught red-handed by the ACB

Subsequently, a trap was laid by the ACB team and Palaye was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting bribe money. A case has been registered against him under section 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.