Thane: The Mumbai Anti-Corruption Bureau caught red-handed a beat inspector from Bhiwandi Nizampura City Municipal Corporation while taking the first installment of a bribe of Rs 50,000 the complainant for not taking demolition action against the property.

The two have been identified as Sunil Bhaskar Bhoir, 56, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, and Amol Ramchandra Warghade, 43, Beat Inspector, both posted at Bhiwandi Nizampura City Municipal Corporation.

ACB officials stated that Bhoir demanded Rs 1.5 lakh from the complainant for not taking demolition actions against the resident's property. Upon negotiations by the complainant, the bribe amount was settled at Rs 1,30,000. As per the FIR, Warghade visted to hotel for taking the bribe under the instruction of Bhoir.

An official from the ACB said that they laid a trap in a prominent hotel in Dhamankar Naka, located in Bhiwandi, on January 18. Warghade and the complainant were in the hotel. Warghade was caught red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the complainant. According to the officials from the ACB, they conducted a panchanama of the incident.

Shirish Mangave, ACP from ACB, Mumbai said, "During the investigation, it was revealed that Bhoir sent Warghade to the hotel to collect the installment from the complainant. We have arrested two individuals and produced them in court, remanding them to police custody for further investigation."