Dambhale had, in fact, demanded Rs 5,000 and the cash he accepted on Wednesday was part of the "deal" he had struck with the relative. The remainder was to be collected at a later stage. However, the relative promptly lodged a complaint with the ACB and a trap was laid at around 5 pm at the Ambazari police station. The ACB sleuths zeroed in on the PSI after he put the cash in his trouser pocket.

The matter stems from a dowry harassment offence registered on June 10 by the Ambazari police against Punjaram Bhivaji Utre and his relatives, all from Bhamwadi near Kamptee, by the aggrieved girl's father, Giridhar Shilote, a resident of Phutala.

The marriage of Punjaram and Giridhar's daughter, Ranjana,which was to be solemnised on June 9, had to be put off at the eleventh hour owing to some contentious issue.

While the girl's relatives have claimed that Punjaram demanded certain things which were unaffordable to them, the latter claimed that he received a couple of anonymous letters - a few days prior to the day of his marriage - suggesting that Ranjana had an affair with the letter writer. Punjaram had only insisted that the marriage can not be solemnised till he verified the facts.

A few days ago, the Ambazari police arrested Punjaram and one of his relatives in connection with the case and obtained their police custody remand from a local court.

During the course of investigation, PSI Dambhale is alleged to have demanded Rs 5,000 from advocate Pundalik Aatmaram Wadibhasme, a resident of Mathni in Mouda tehsil, who is also a relative of Punjaram.

He told Wadibhasme that he would not press for a further police custody remand for the two arrested accused and also would not arrest the mediator whohad arranged the marriage.

Striking a "deal" with the police officer, Wadibhasme approached the ACB authorities and lodged a complaint that resulted in Thursday's trap. Additional Superintendent of Police P D Gavai, Deputy SPs S J Patil, P L Pawar, D S Tankar and staff executed the trap.

An offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against Dambhale with the Ambazari police and further investigations are on.