Arthur Road Jail SP, deputy in ACB net for taking bribe

Mumbai's Central Prison Superintendent of Police Vasudev Burkule and his deputy have been arrested for allegedly accepting bribe of Rs 35,000 from a jail officer to clear him in the Maharashtra prison manual exam, the ACB said today.

Burkule and his deputy Pradeep Pathrikar were arrested from Central Prison Police Officials' Residential Colony in South Mumbai, after a trap was laid last night, Additional Police Commissioner (ACB), Vishwas Nangare Patil told PTI.

Arthur Road Jail

Pathrikar was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 35,000, which was the first installment of the total demanded sum of Rs 40,000, whereas Burkule was apprehended as his subordinate was taking the bribe on his behalf, he added. Burkule, the SP of Central Prison, known as the Arthur Road jail, was found in possession of Rs 70,000 cash while his house search resulted in recovery of Rs 40 lakh, the IPS officer added.

According to ACB, a jail officer had appeared for the Maharashtra Prison Manual exam on March 25. The paper had come before Burkule for checking.

"Pathrikar approached the victim saying that his paper has come before Burkule but he (Pathrikar) has been checking it. Pathrikar told the victim that he is scoring less marks and may not clear the exam but the marks can be increased if he pays Rs 40,000 to them," Patil said.

Not willing to bribe the police officers, the victim approached the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) yesterday. Without wasting time, the ACB directed the victim to meet Burkule at his office so that a trap can be laid. Accordingly, the victim met Burkule, who instructed him to hand over Rs 35,000 to his deputy.

The victim was told to give the remaining Rs 5,000 later. The complainant then went to the residential colony and handed over Rs 35,000 to Pathrikar last night where ACB officials caught him red handed. Subsequently, Burkule was arrested under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.