Senior Inspector of Shivaji Nagar Police Station Caught Red-Handed Accepting ₹1 Lakh Bribe, Arrested by ACB

Mumbai, May 14: In a major crackdown on corruption within the police force, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Mumbai arrested Senior Police Inspector Bapurao Madhukar Deshmukh, 57, head of the Shivaji Nagar Police Station, for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh from a school trustee. The arrest took place late Tuesday night at the inspector’s own office in the police station.

According to ACB officials, the bribe was part of a larger ₹2.5 lakh demand made by Deshmukh in exchange for providing police protection and assistance in a legal matter concerning a property dispute involving a school. The arrested officer is a Class I police official and was due for retirement in a year.

The complainant in the case is a 41-year-old trustee of a school located in the Shivaji Nagar area. The dispute began on August 15, 2024, when a group allegedly broke into the school premises by forcibly unlocking the gate amid a property-related disagreement. Following the incident, the trustee approached the police to file a complaint and also referred the matter to the Charity Commissioner.

In his plea for official police protection to prevent further illegal entries until a final decision was issued by the Charity Commissioner, the trustee sought assistance from Inspector Deshmukh. However, instead of extending lawful help, Deshmukh allegedly demanded ₹3 lakh, which was later negotiated down to ₹2.5 lakh.

Unwilling to succumb to extortion for legitimate services, the trustee approached the ACB. After verifying the complaint, ACB officials laid a trap and caught Deshmukh red-handed while accepting the first installment of ₹1 lakh at the police station.

Deshmukh was immediately taken into custody under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He is expected to be produced before a court on Wednesday. The operation was executed under the leadership of ACB Additional Commissioner Sandeep Diwan and was supervised by Additional DCPs Anil Gherdikar and Rajendra Sangale.

ACB sources have confirmed that a further inquiry will be launched into Deshmukh’s assets to determine whether he possesses property disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The arrest has triggered renewed concerns about deep-rooted corruption at senior levels within the police force. Citizens and civil society groups have called for greater accountability and transparency in law enforcement agencies.

Authorities have reiterated their commitment to zero tolerance towards corruption and have encouraged citizens to report any such incidents without fear.