Senior cop granted bail in graft case

PTI

Mumbai: The sessions court on Wednesday granted bail to Arun Kahnvilkar, senior inspector of the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), who was arrested for allegedly accepting bribe.

Khanvilkar and two accomplices, Chetan Desai and Pinto were arrested on February 5 by the Anti Corruption Bureau while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh from a club owner in suburban Kandivli.

The court while releasing Khanvilkar on a bail bond of Rs 15,000 said his custody was not required.

The case pertains to a raid carried out by the Kalachowky unit of the ATS on December 26 last year. Khanvilkar and his team raided a gambling club in suburban Mulund where five businessmen were caught gambling.

While four were allowed to go, one Manoj Singh was detained at the ATS office and was released the next morning after his family allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh to the ATS officials.

According to the ACB, Khanvilkar had demanded Rs 20 lakh for Singh's release but the amount was brought down to Rs 10 lakh after bargaining.

After a few days, Desai contacted Singh again and demanded the remaining five lakhs and threatened to frame him in a false case if he failed to pay up.

Singh then approached the ACB which laid a trap and caught the trio red-handed while accepting the money.