Two PSIs arrested for demanding bribe

Mumbai, Apr 27 (UNI) Sleuths of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested two Police Sub-Inspectors (PSI) from two seperate police staions in the city in the last 24 hours for allegedly demanding bribe from complainants for favouring them.

In the first incident, PSI Harishchandra Dalvi (52), attached to the MIDC police station at Andheri, was arrested for allegedly demanding bribe of Rs 60,000 from a person seeking favourable remark to enable him to get an anticipatory bail in a misappropriation case.

Additional Deputy Police Commissioner Vilas Tupe today said they along with the complainant Ashok Sophale reached the spot late to give first instalment of Rs 20,000 and hence was not arrested red-handed. He was, however, arrested under section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, after a thorough verification of the complaint.

Sophale, who used to work in a private firm, was given USD worth Rs six lakh by company owner for a certain work. He took this money home and kept it in the cupboard while his wife mistakenly gave it to someone else. The company had therefore lodged a complaint with the police.

Meanwhile, Saphale moved an anticipatory bail application in the Sessions Court fearing arest.

The accused Mr Dalvi, probing the case, had demanded the bribe to enable Saphale to get bail. But Saphale promised to give him the money in equal instalments.

In another case, PSI Appasaheb Bhima Mohite, attached to Shivaji Park Police Station in north central Mumbai, was arrested for demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000 from complainant for not arresting him in a robbery case.

Mr Tupe said complainant Mohammed Farukh Shaikh and his two associates had purchased a gold chain from a unknown person. On April 11, this year PSI Mohite had called them for questioning during which he said he would book them in a robbery case. And if they did not to be arrested then they would have to pay a bribe of Rs 15,000 which was brought down to Rs 10,000 after negotiations.

Initially a trap was laid on April 14, but Mohite could not be arrested as he was busy in Ambedkar Jayanti bandobast. However, he was arrested yesterday after the complaint was verified, under section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The duo was produced before ACB Special Court Judge S S Joshi, who remanded them to police custody till May four, he added.

UNI