Mumbai, March 18 : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Mumbai has arrested an assistant police inspector (API) from Khar police station for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh in connection with a property dispute investigation.

The accused officer, 40-year-old Tushar Kale, was caught red-handed by an ACB trap team while receiving the bribe amount from a complainant.

Kale, posted at the Khar police station, had been directed by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Bandra to conduct an inquiry into a property dispute case and submit a report. According to ACB officials, the case involved the complainant's brother, who was seeking a favourable resolution in the ongoing property matter.

During the inquiry, after recording the statement of the complainant's brother, Kale allegedly began hinting at a bribe by telling the complainant to "look at us as well." When the complainant approached him again, the officer reportedly made an explicit demand of Rs 3 lakh to ensure a favourable inquiry report.

Unwilling to pay the amount, the complainant approached the ACB and lodged a complaint. Following verification, the ACB laid a trap.

During negotiations, Kale allegedly agreed to accept a reduced bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh. The payment was arranged as per the trap plan, and the moment Kale accepted the bribe money, ACB personnel swooped in and apprehended him on the spot.

The officer was immediately taken into custody and booked under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The bribe amount was recovered from his possession as part of the trap proceedings.

An ACB spokesperson confirmed that the arrest took place after the officer was caught accepting the illegal gratification in exchange for influencing the official inquiry report.

"The trap was successfully executed based on credible information provided by the complainant," the official said.

Further investigation is underway to ascertain if Kale was involved in similar demands in other cases or if any other personnel were complicit.

The ACB has initiated a detailed probe into his conduct during the handling of court-directed inquiries.

The arrest has once again highlighted concerns over corruption in police ranks, particularly in cases involving property disputes where officers exercise significant influence through their reports to courts.

Authorities have assured that the investigation will be conducted thoroughly to ensure accountability.

/IANS