A medical officer from Thane district was arrested on Friday for allegedly accepting a Rs 2,000-bribe to issue a medical certificate needed for renewing a gun licence, news agency PTI reported.
The accused has been identified as Dr Anil Patil, who was posted at Murbad Rural Hospital, according to the Thane unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
A man had approached the hospital seeking a medical certificate required for the renewal of his father’s revolver licence.
“An ambulance driver, Mahendra Hindurao, allegedly demanded Rs 3,000 on behalf of the medical officer for issuing the certificate. The amount was later negotiated down to Rs 2,000,” said Inspector Rupali Pol of the ACB.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB, following which a trap was laid on the hospital premises on Thursday.
“Our team caught the medical officer red-handed while accepting the bribe amount. The ambulance driver is currently absconding, and a search is underway to trace him,” Pol said.
The ACB has launched an investigation to ascertain whether more persons are involved and to verify if similar illegal demands were made to other applicants. Patil has been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
SSC board official held in Vashi for accepting Rs 20,000-bribe
A senior official of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education’s Mumbai Divisional Board in Vashi was caught red-handed by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) while allegedly accepting a bribe on Tuesday.
The complainant, an electrical contractor, had been awarded a one-year contract for the maintenance and repair of office electrical equipment at the board’s Vashi office in Navi Mumbai, effective from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026.
Under the agreement, the contractor was to be paid Rs. 26,400 per month along with 18 per cent GST, taking the total monthly payment to Rs. 31,152. A formal work order had been issued accordingly.
The contractor submitted monthly tax invoices of Rs. 31,152 for the period between November 2025 and February 2026 to the divisional board office in Vashi for approval and payment processing.
Allegations of Bribe Demand
According to the complaint, Rajendra Manik Ahire, Divisional Head (Class I officer), allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 22,176—approximately seven per cent of the total bill amount of Rs. 3,16,800—for clearing the dues. The demand was reportedly made through Manohar Laxman Pawar, the Bhandar Branch Head.
Following this, the contractor approached the ACB’s Navi Mumbai unit and filed a formal complaint on March 25, 2026.
Verification Confirms Demand
During a verification exercise conducted by the ACB on April 6, 2026, officials confirmed that Ahire had demanded a reduced bribe amount of Rs. 20,000. Investigators also found that Pawar had allegedly abetted and encouraged the demand.
ACB Trap Operation and Arrest
Acting on the complaint, the ACB laid a trap on April 7, 2026. During the operation, Ahire allegedly accepted Rs. 20,000 from the complainant inside his office cabin.
He was immediately apprehended by the trap team at around 1 pm and taken into custody.
Case to Be Registered Under Prevention of Corruption Act
Officials said the trap panchnama process is currently underway. A case is being registered against both Ahire and Pawar under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
(With PTI inputs)
