Nagpur: A driver working for the State Excise Department was trapped by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 6,000 from a bootlegger. The accused, Nandkishor Sheshrao Bhoyar, was caught red-handed while taking the bribe as ‘protection money’ from the bootlegger.
The complainant bootlegger, who is a resident of Yerla in Katol taluka, was earlier working as a private driver. He lost his job during Covid-19 pandemic. He then started selling liquor illegally from his house to make both ends meet. The State Excise Department had initiated action against him in November 2021. Bhoyar then visited Yerla and demanded Rs 3,000 per month as ‘protection money’ from the bootlegger for allowing him to continue his illegal business. Again in January this year, Bhoyar demanded Rs 6,000 per month for not proceeding against the bootlegger ahead with the action.
Fed-up with the constant harassment by accused Bhoyar, the aggrieved bootlegger lodged a complaint at the ACB unit which laid a trap on Khadgaon Road in Wadi area. As soon as Bhoyar accepted Rs 6,000 from the complainant, the ACB team caught and arrested him.
The Bureau registered a case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Bhoyar at Wadi Police Station. The trap was laid by DySP Anamika Mirzapure, constabulary staff comprising Sarang Balpande, Geeta Chaudhary, Asmita Meshram and Amol Bhakte under the supervision of SP (ACB) Rakesh Ola and Additional SP Madhukar Gite.
