The Thane Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday late night booked a revenue official from Ambernath after he was trapped while allegedly accepting a bribe to modify land records in the complainant's favour, officials informed on Saturday.
Bribe Demand for Land Record Correction
The complainant approached the officer in-charge for Dwarli, Adivali and Dhokli villages in Ambernath seeking correction of succession-related entries in land records following the death of his father. The complainant wanted the earlier succession mutations cancelled and fresh entries made to include his step-sister as one of the legal heirs in the land records.
However, the accused, Ishwar Jadhav, allegedly demanded Rs 20,000 for the work, including Rs 10,000 purportedly for himself and Rs 10,000 for the circle officer, informed a senior ACB official.
Trap Laid and Arrest
The complainant later approached the ACB's Thane unit and lodged a complaint, following which a trap was laid. Jadhav was trapped and caught red-handed while accepting the bribe. Subsequently, a case was registered against him at the Hill Line police station under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the official said.
This incident highlights the ongoing efforts by anti-corruption agencies to curb bribery in government departments, especially in land record offices where citizens often face undue demands for expediting or modifying official documents.
