Judge wanted in bribery case played active role in crime; shared close ties with arrested clerk: Police

Mumbai, Nov 17 (PTI) An additional sessions judge of a civil court, named as a wanted accused in the Rs 15 lakh bribery case, had played "an active role" in the crime and shared a "cordial relationship" with the arrested clerk, according to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Police stated that the judge’s inquiry and investigation are necessary, and the process of obtaining permission from the Bombay High Court's Chief Justice is underway at the senior level of the ACB.

Civil court clerk-cum-typist, Chandrakant Vasudeo, was arrested last week for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 15 lakh in exchange for a favourable verdict in a land dispute case.

The additional sessions judge at the civil court in Mazgaon, Aejazuddin Salauddin Kazi, was named as a wanted accused in the case.

Vasudeo revealed that he had collected the money on behalf of Kazi for giving a favourable judgement to the complainant in a land dispute case, police said.

The special ACB court remanded Vasudeo to judicial custody on Monday, following which he filed a bail application. The matter will be heard on November 19.

The investigation revealed that Kazi had allegedly instructed Vasudeo to demand Rs 15 lakh for himself (the judge) from the complainant to issue a favourable order in the commercial suit.

Accordingly, the clerk approached the complainant's colleague in the court's washroom and told him to "do something for Saheb (the judge), and the order will be in your favour", police said.

Subsequently, Vasudeo met the complainant at a cafe and demanded Rs 10 lakh for himself and Rs 15 lakh for Kazi.

After the complainant turned down the bribe demand, Vasudeo later made a WhatsApp call to his colleague, who used to attend court hearings, and said that if the money was not paid, the order would be against them (the complainant), according to police.

The complainant approached the ACB, and on November 10, he called Vasudeo to meet at a cafe in Chembur with the bribe money the following day, leading to the arrest of Vasudeo.

On directions of ACB, Vasudeo spoke to the "wanted accused" (judge Kazi) on the phone in the presence of witnesses. The judge (Kazi) consented to the accepted bribe amount and instructed the clerk to bring the money to his residence, police said, adding that Kazi played an active role in the crime and he needed to be investigated.

A team went to the judge's residence (for probe) on November 12, but it was locked, following which a house sealing panchnama was conducted in the presence of another judge and two witnesses.

Vasudeo has been working as a clerk in the civil city and sessions court in Mazgaon, where Kazi is posted, for the past year, and they share a "cordial relationship", according to police.

Judge Kazi had helped Vasudeo in the latter’s personal and family issues, and they communicated frequently on WhatsApp, police said. PTI AVI NSK