DNA
 
Mumbai, Mar 17: Name: Anand Chavan. Profession: Police Inspector, Kherwadi. Salary: Rs 20,000. Assets: More than Rs 1 crore.

Anything amiss?

Yes, says the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which arrested Chavan for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 and a Black Label whisky bottle from a hotel.

According to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Vilas Tupe, on March 3, the day of Holi, some Kherwadi residents went to the hotel Rolibretty Rest and Hero Bar and asked for a donation of Rs 1500 from the owner. The owner, Chirag Bhatt, however, gave only Rs 250. Furious, they pelted stones at the hotel. Apart from damaging the furniture, they also beat up two waiters. Bhatt along with the two waiters went to the Kherwadi police station to register a complaint. But they settled the matter after a discussion.

However, Chavan allegedly saw this as an opportunity to make some quick bucks. The inspector called up the two waiters and threatened to register an assault case against them. He then called Bhatt and told him that the matter could be settled if Bhatt coughed up Rs 5 lac rupees.

“Bhatt said he could not pay such a heavy amount. Then Chavan settled for Rs 1 lac and a bottle whisky,” Tupe said. It was decided that Bhatt would pay Rs 20,000 and the bottle as the first instalment on Friday. Bhatt filed a complaint with the ACB. The sleuths of the ACB laid a trap and arrested Chavan red-handed while accepting the bribe. 

“After arresting Chavan, a team of officers raided his residence in Mahim,” Tupe said. The officers were shocked to see that a senior police inspector owned a duplex apartment in a plush locality in Mahim.

The alleged recovered items included:  cash worth more than Rs lac; documents of two flats in Pune worth more than Rs 26 lac; documents of an oil shop worth more than Rs 18 lac in Pune; a plasma television set;  gold ornaments worth Rs 6 lac.

Documents of two godowns in Dharavi worth more than Rs 40 lac were also seized. It has also been revealed that Chavan’s son owns a security service by the name Realtec Security Service, which employs 40 watchmen. Gymnasium equipments worth Rs 4 lac were seized.

An officer who was part of the raid said that the interior designing in the duplex flat was worth more than Rs 20 lac. Two cars, a Ford Ikon and a Santro, together valued at 11 lac were also seized. At least 14 credit cards of different banks were also seized.

“We have got keys of his bank lockers as well. The lockers will be opened on Saturday,” Tupe said. Chavan will be produced in court of Saturday.