For ‘compromise’ with cops, lawyer demands Rs 5L, lands in ACB net

The arrested lawyer—Sumit Gaikwad (25)— is a resident of Ambegaon Pathar, and practices criminal law in Pune, as per ACB officials. The agency is investigating whether other officials from the police station were in contact with Gaikwad. The lawyer has been booked under Section 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act which pertains to ‘taking undue advantage to influence public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by exercise of personal influence.’

In this regard, a 25-year-old woman had approached Pune ACB earlier this month. Deputy Superintendent of Police with ACB, Nitin Jadhav, said the “complainant woman and her two friends were taken to Shastrinagar police chowki under Kothrud police station in connection to a legal case she was facing. The accused lawyer, who knows the two friends of the complainant, offered to facilitate a compromise with the police officers concerned to ensure the three are not booked under any offence or arrested. For this, the lawyer demanded Rs 5 lakh.”

ACB officials refused to divulge details about the woman complainant or the legal issue she was facing saying the case was sensitive in nature. The statement further reads, “Towards this alleged compromise with police officials, the lawyer initially took Rs 1 lakh from the complainant, and then Rs 55, 000 from her two friends. He asked for the remaining Rs 3.5 lakh saying if they didn’t pay up he would not destroy the alleged evidence against them.

After the complainant approached the police, a trap was laid on December 9 and the lawyer was caught red handed accepting Rs 20,000 via online as partial payment of the bribe. He was subsequently booked under Prevention of Corruption Act and detained.”

The press was informed about the case on Thursday after the initial probe was complete.

When contacted, Amol Tambe, Superintendent of Police with Pune ACB, said they would investigate the involvement of any other police officer. Gaikwad has been charged for demanding and accepting a bribe, he said.