Thane: Four police personnel including a senior police inspector attached to the crime branch of Thane police were today arrested by the anti-corruption bureau for demanding bribe from an industrialist.
Deputy superintendent of police (ACB) Datta Karale identified the arrested officers as inspector Shahaji D Jadhav and constables Premsingh Rajput, Uday Kore and Suresh Patil, all attached to unit 5 of the crime branch.
Interestingly, Jadhav was the investigating officer in the Shil Phata building collapse case of 2013 in which 74 persons had died.
The accused officers had seized a four wheeler and arrested two workers of a chemical factory in Wada area of neighbouring Palghar district, owned by the complainant, for adulteration of kerosene and phenyl.
Jadhav allegedly demanded Rs 2 lakh from the owner to release the vehicle and not to take action against the employees.
After the owner approached the ACB, a trap was laid and Patil was arrested while accepting the bribe (on behalf of four of them) of Rs 50,000 on the premises of crime branch office in Wagle Estate area this morning.
Subsequently, the other three were also arrested. Further probe is on.
