The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a sanitation inspector from the Public Health Department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹2 lakh. The bribe was reportedly sought in exchange for issuing a health licence to a private establishment. The accused has been remanded to police custody for three days by the court.
The arrested official has been identified as Sarabjeet Singh Kartarsingh Bajwa. According to the ACB, the complainant runs a private consultancy firm that assists clients in obtaining permissions such as health licences, building permits, and other government approvals. One of the complainant’s clients, located in Santacruz, required a health licence for their business.
To obtain the licence, the complainant approached the BMC’s H/East ward office and met Inspector Bajwa. Bajwa reportedly asked the complainant to submit an online application but also demanded ₹2 lakh in advance. The complainant paid the amount and submitted the application online. Subsequently, the health licence was issued digitally.
However, during an inspection visit by a public servant and a medical officer, the complainant was informed that the licence was invalid and was asked to visit the office. When the complainant met Bajwa and the medical officer again at the ward office, the medical officer allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹5 lakh for issuing the correct licence. Since ₹2 lakh had already been paid earlier, the complainant was asked to pay the remaining ₹3 lakh.
Unwilling to pay any further bribe, the complainant approached the ACB’s Mumbai unit on 14 May and filed a formal complaint. On 15 May, the ACB conducted a preliminary verification of the complaint. During the verification, Bajwa allegedly confirmed the demand and agreed to accept ₹2.5 lakh as a negotiated amount.
On 5 June, ACB officers laid a trap and caught Bajwa red-handed while accepting ₹2 lakh in bribe money.
Further investigation is underway.