Palghar, Maharashtra: The Thane Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a policeman from Tulinj police station and an accomplice on Friday night for accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a drug smuggler.

This incident has raised concerns about police involvement in drug-related activities, with local residents alleging that such actions enable the drug trade in Nalasopara.

Vitthal Pandurang Sagle, a police officer at Tulinj police station, reportedly demanded Rs 50,000 per month from a 24-year-old drug dealer in exchange for protection and assistance in smuggling drugs.

The drug dealer filed a complaint with the Thane Anti-Corruption Bureau on February 25. Following an investigation on February 27, the bribe demand was confirmed.

On Friday evening at 8 PM, ACB officials, led by Senior PI Vijay Kavle, Assistant Police Sub Inspector Nalawade, Yogendra Pardeshi, Shamim Sheikh, and Police Sub Inspector Barge, successfully caught Sagle and the accomplice red-handed while they were accepting the bribe inside the police station.