Mumbai Court Official Caught in Bribery Sting Operation
In a significant development that has sent shockwaves through Mumbai's judicial circles, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has taken the extraordinary step of naming a serving additional sessions judge as a wanted accused in a corruption case. The action comes following the arrest of the judge's clerk-cum-typist, who was allegedly caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 15 lakh at a coffee shop in Chembur.
The corruption scandal unfolded on Tuesday when ACB officials laid a trap at Starbucks Cafe in Chembur and apprehended Chandrakant Vasudev, the clerk working under the additional sessions judge, while he was accepting the substantial bribe amount. According to official statements released by the ACB, the bribe money was demanded in exchange for delivering a favorable judgment in a civil case involving a land dispute valued at approximately Rs 10 crore.
The Elaborate Bribery Scheme Uncovered
The case has its origins in a long-standing legal battle over a valuable piece of land. As per ACB records, the complainant's wife had initially filed a petition in the Bombay High Court back in 2015, challenging the forcible possession of their company's land. The High Court had subsequently issued a stay order on April 27, 2016, preventing the creation of any third-party rights over the vacant land.
Since the disputed property's value fell below the High Court's jurisdictional threshold of Rs 10 crore, the matter was transferred to a Civil Sessions Court as a commercial suit in March 2024. The case was being heard at Court No. 14 in Mazgaon when the corruption plot began to unfold.
The breakthrough came when Vasudev, the judge's clerk, contacted the complainant on September 9 this year, requesting a personal meeting. Three days later, on September 12, the meeting took place at the Starbucks outlet in Chembur, where Vasudev allegedly made a stunning demand of Rs 25 lakh as bribe to ensure a favorable verdict.
ACB's Careful Investigation and Trap
During their initial meeting, Vasudev clearly outlined the bribe distribution, stating that while Rs 10 lakh was meant for himself, the remaining Rs 15 lakh was designated for the presiding judge. When the complainant expressed reluctance, Vasudev asked him to reconsider and get back later.
The clerk continued to press for the money through repeated demands, ultimately leading the complainant to approach the ACB's Worli office on November 10 with a formal written complaint. The anti-corruption agency immediately sprang into action, conducting verification proceedings before independent witnesses on the same day.
When their verification confirmed that Vasudev was indeed demanding Rs 15 lakh as bribe, ACB officials orchestrated an elaborate trap operation. They instructed the complainant to agree to the demand and set up the exchange at the same Starbucks location in Chembur on Tuesday.
The trap proved successful, with ACB officials catching Vasudev red-handed while accepting the Rs 15 lakh bribe amount. In a crucial development, investigators discovered that as per the original plan, Vasudev was supposed to call the judge immediately after receiving the money to inform him about the successful transaction.
The ACB cleverly allowed this part of the plan to proceed and managed to record the judge's response to the news, gathering crucial evidence against the judicial officer.
Legal Proceedings and Current Status
Following the successful operation, the ACB registered a formal offense against both the clerk and the judge under sections 7, 7(A) and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Vasudev was immediately placed under arrest and produced before the Special ACB court on Wednesday.
The court has remanded the accused clerk to ACB custody until November 16 for further investigation and questioning. Meanwhile, the ACB has initiated the process to secure permission from the Principal Judge to formally arrest the additional sessions judge, as required by established legal procedures.
An ACB official confirmed, "We have sought the necessary permission from the Principal Judge to place the additional sessions judge under arrest as per procedure. We are currently awaiting authorization to proceed with this aspect of the case."
This case represents one of the rare instances where a sitting judge has been directly named as an accused in a corruption case, highlighting the ACB's determined efforts to combat corruption at all levels of the judiciary.
