In a strong message against corruption in the police force, Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) has dismissed two Mumbai Police officers who were caught red-handed accepting bribes by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The action comes after the ACB, on September 26, laid a successful trap at Wadala TT Police Station, leading to the arrest of Senior Police Inspector Chandrakant Sarode (52) and Assistant Police Inspector Rahul Waghmode while accepting a total bribe of ₹2.30 lakh.
According to ACB officials, the officers had allegedly demanded money from a complainant to avoid implicating his daughter in a criminal case and to provide legal assistance. The 59-year-old complainant approached the ACB, following which an investigation revealed that PSI Waghmode demanded ₹5 lakh on behalf of Sarode and ₹50,000 for himself. After negotiation, the bribe amount was settled at ₹4 lakh for Sarode and ₹50,000 for Waghmode.
During the trap operation, Sarode accepted ₹2 lakh as part of the first installment inside his office, while Waghmode collected ₹30,000. At that moment, the ACB team swooped in and arrested both officers in the presence of independent witnesses.
A case was registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and further legal proceedings are underway.
Acting on the report and the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s recommendation, the DGP on Friday ordered the immediate dismissal of both officers from the police service.
The operation was personally supervised by ACB Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajendra Sangle.
The swift dismissal highlights the state police’s commitment to maintaining integrity within the force and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption.