In a major action by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Mumbai, a clerk from the City Civil and Sessions Court, Mazgaon, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 15 lakh on behalf of himself and an Additional Sessions Judge to “change” the verdict of a pending case.

The arrested accused has been identified as Chandrakant Hanmant Vasudev (40), a clerk/typist attached to the City Civil Court. The ACB has also booked Additional Sessions Judge Ejazuddin Salauddin Qazi (55) of Court No. 14, Civil Sessions Court, Mazgaon, who is currently absconding.

The case and complaint

According to ACB officials, the complainant’s wife had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court in 2015 regarding the forcible possession of her company’s premises. The High Court had stayed the creation of third-party rights over the property and, in March 2024, transferred the matter to the Civil Sessions Court, Mazgaon, as its value was below Rs 10 crore.

On September 9, the complainant’s office clerk appeared in Court No. 14 when he was contacted by Vasudev, who asked to meet personally. A meeting was arranged in Chembur on September 12, where Vasudev allegedly demanded Rs 25 lakh to alter the judgment in favour of the complainant, Rs 10 lakh for himself and Rs 15 lakh for the judge. After negotiations, the bribe amount was settled at Rs 15 lakh.

Unwilling to pay, the complainant approached the ACB’s Worli office on Monday, leading to a verification operation that confirmed Vasudev’s demand.

The trap and arrest

On Tuesday, ACB officers laid a trap during which Vasudev was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 15 lakh from the complainant. Shortly after the transaction, he allegedly informed Judge Qazi over the phone about having received the money, to which the judge reportedly agreed.

Following this, a case was registered against both Vasudev and Qazi under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

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