Oct 10, 2024 05:12 PM IST
The officer allegedly called the relative for the second time even after the accused was already taken into judicial custody and was sent to Taloja jail
NAVI MUMBAI: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested senior inspector Satish Kadam, in-charge of the NRI Coastal police station, Navi Mumbai, after catching him red-handed accepting bribe from the relative of an accused in the Shahbaz village building collapse. case. ACB officials said that the inspector was caught outside his house in Ulwe late in the night on Tuesday, following a complaint lodged by the son of the accused.
On July 27, Indira Niwas, a three storied building, situated in Sector 19 of Shahbaz village in Belapur collapsed in the early hours, resulting in the death of three residents and rendering 50 others homeless.
Following this, a case was registered by the NRI Coastal police station against developer Mahesh Kumbhar (57) and plot owner Sharad Waghmare under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 3(5) (criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention), 125 (A)(B) (endangering life or personal safety of others), 324(4) (mischief causing loss or damage to any property) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 54 (power to stop unauthorized development) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act. The FIR was based on a complaint lodged by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC).
The ACB action was followed by a complaint lodged by the son of one of the accused, who was frustrated with repeated demands for a bribe made by Kadam.
“The officer allegedly contacted the son of the accused and demanded 15 lakh bribe to go easy on the investigation and to help securing bail. The relative paid 14 lakh in two instalments; 12 lakh first and then 2 lakh,” said an ACB official. With their bail pleas getting rejected at both the sessions court and later at the Bombay High Court, the accused approached the Supreme Court (SC) and were granted a 30-day protection from arrest after which they would surrender on September 23.
Kadam demanded again on October 2, even as the accused was already taken into judicial custody and sent to Taloja Jail. The officer was stated to have demanded 12 lakh from the son to not file an application with the jail to arrest the accused in a false cheating case filed separately against him. “The relative expressed his inability to pay such a huge amount and then it was settled that he will pay 4 lakh instead, and an additional 1 lakh once the accused was released from jail,” said the official. The relative got in touch with the ACB.
“On October 8, a trap was laid after the son of the accused contacted Kadam to collect the bribe. The inspector was caught red-handed accepting 3.5 lakh from the son.” A case is registered under section 7 (public servant accepting or attempting to obtain an undue advantage) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 with the NRI Coastal police.
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