ACB traps PSI while taking bribe

NAGPUR, JULY 9: Police sub-inspector PSI Dinkar Sukhdev Dambhale, attached to the Ambazari police station, was on Thursday trapped by t...

NAGPUR, JULY 9: Police sub-inspector PSI Dinkar Sukhdev Dambhale, attached to the Ambazari police station, was on Thursday trapped by the Anti-Corruption Bureau ACB for accepting bribe of Rs 2,000 from a relative of an accused on the pretext of not pressing for the latter8217;s police custody in the court.

Dambhale had, in fact, demanded Rs 5,000 and the cash he accepted on Wednesday was part of the quot;dealquot; 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 girl8217;s father, Giridhar Shilote, a resident of Phutala.

The marriage of Punjaram and Giridhar8217;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 girl8217;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 8211; a few days prior to the day of his marriage 8211; 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.

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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 quot;dealquot; with the police officer, Wadibhasme approached the ACB authorities and lodged a complaint that resulted in Thursday8217;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.