Excise Inspector Caught Taking Bribe for Liquor License
Nagpur, India- On Thursday, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) caught Ravindra Laxman Kokare, an inspector with the State Excise Department, accepting a bribe of Rs 3.25 lakh. Kokare, 49, was caught red-handed while taking money from a 31-year-old restaurateur who owns a bar and restaurant in Kalmeshwar. The restaurateur had applied for a new FL-III license to sell beer and Indian-made foreign liquor.
Kokare, a resident of Friends Colony on Katol Road, initially demanded Rs 4 lakh to forward the restaurateur's application to his superiors for approval. After some negotiation, Kokare agreed to settle for Rs 3.25 lakh and asked the restaurateur to bring the cash to Traffic Park in Dharampeth.
Fed up with Kokare's demands, the restaurateur reported the incident to the ACB. After verifying the complaint, ACB officers set a trap and arrested Kokare just as he accepted the bribe. Following the arrest, ACB officials searched Kokare's office and home.
A case has been registered against Kokare under the Prevention of Corruption Act at Sitabuldi Police Station. The operation was led by PI Praveen Lakde and his team, including Sarang Balpande, Asmita Meshram, Vikas Sayare, and Raju Jambhulkar, under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (ACB) Rahul Maknikar and Additional SP Sanjay Purandare.
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