Sub-Inspector caught red-handed by ACB slueths

Sub-Inspector caught red-handed by ACB slueths
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NAGPUR, MAY 11: A police sub-inspector (PSI) attached to the Ajni police station landed in a trap laid by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday night, when he accepted bribe from a person whom he threatened to drag in a police case.

The police official has been identified as S P Ankushkar, who was caught red-handed by the ACB when he accepted Rs 5,000 at his room at Lake View Lodge near Gandhi Sagar in the city.

The complainant -- Ghanshyam Joshi, a resident of Mehendibagh, reportedly lodged a complaint against Ankushkar with the ACB as the PSI threatened him to drag him in a false case. Ankushkar had demanded Rs 10,000 from Joshi, but the deal was struck at Rs 5000, it is learnt.

The police officer asked Joshi to meet him at his room in the evening along with the money. As planned, Joshi reached there with the currency notes given to him by the ACB and which were coated with a chemical used in such traps. As soon as Ankushkar accepted money from Joshi, the ACB men, who were till then hiding outside the room, arrived on the scene and seized the money.

PSI Ankushkar has since been arrested by the ACB and taken into custody. According to sources, a woman residing from Babulkheda lodged complaint against Joshi a money ago claiming that she was married to Joshi, but was not being allowed entrance in Joshi's house. The case was handed over to PSI Ankushkar for investigation and Joshi was called up to the police station.

A one-to-one verification was held in presence of Inspector Deshmukh to verify the woman's claim, during which the woman reportedly retracted from her version and withdrew the complaint. The matter would have ended there but for PSI Ankushkar, who started calling up Joshi on phone and demanded money for not reopening the case.

Joshi, reportedly ignored the PSI's demand for a couple of times. But when the police officer threatened to go ahead with reopening of the case, Joshi agreed to pay money, but not before he approached the ACB.

The trap was laid by Deputy Superintendent S J Pawar of the ACB.