Additional sessions judge named in FIR by Mumbai ACB after clerk caught red-handed accepting bribe of Rs 15 lakh

On September 9 this year, the complainant’s colleague was present at the Civil Sessions Court in Mazgaon, Court No. 14 that was hearing the matter when Chandrakant Vasudev, working as a clerk-cum-typist to the judge, contacted the complainant on his mobile and said that he wanted to meet him in person. Accordingly, the complainant went to Starbucks Cafe in Chembur on September 12 and met Vasudev, the official statement stated.

During the meeting, Vasudev demanded a bribe of Rs 25 lakh on behalf of the judge to give the verdict in his favour. He further claimed that while Rs 10 lakh was meant for him, the remaining Rs 15 lakh was for the judge, read the official release issued by ACB.

The FIR pointed out that when the complainant refused to pay this amount, Vasudev asked him to think over the matter again and then get back to him. Later, however, Vasudev repeatedly demanded money from the complainant, but since the complainant did not want to bribe a public servant, he approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau office in Worli on November 10 and gave a written complaint, the release stated.

When a verification was conducted before panchas ( independent witnesses)  on the same day, it was found that the clerk had demanded a bribe of Rs 15 lakh from the complainant for his work and agreed to accept it. ACB officials then asked the complainant to agree to give the money and laid a trap on Tuesday at Starbucks, Chembur. The clerk was caught red-handed accepting Rs 15 lakh from the complainant, the release stated.

The ACB officials said that as per their original plan, once Vasudev got the money, he was to call up the judge and inform him about the same. The ACB asked Vasudev to go ahead with the plan and recorded the judge’s response.

The ACB then registered an offence against the clerk and the judge under sections 7, 7(A) and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and placed Vasudev under arrest. An ACB official said, “We have sought permission from the Principal Judge to place the additional sessions judge under arrest as per procedure. We are waiting for permission into the same.”

The clerk was produced in Special ACB court on Wednesday and has been sent to ACB’s custody till November 16.