26 August,2026 10:38 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
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The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a 36-year-old woman public prosecutor in Thane district for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 1,000 from an advocate in exchange for submitting favourable responses in two property-related cases, officials said.
The accused, an assistant public prosecutor attached to a court in Ulhasnagar, allegedly sought Rs 500 for each application. The cases involved petitions seeking the release of funds that had been frozen during investigations into cyber and financial fraud cases, according to an ACB release issued on Tuesday.
The advocate was representing clients in two property return applications before a judicial magistrate in Ulhasnagar. According to the ACB, the prosecutor allegedly demanded Rs 500 for each application in return for submitting her response in favour of the applicants.
After the alleged demand was made, the advocate approached the ACB and lodged a complaint.
The agency subsequently began verifying the allegations and initiated steps to establish whether the demand for money had actually been made.
On August 6, ACB officials carried out a verification exercise at the court in the presence of an independent witness.
During the verification, the accused allegedly demanded a total of Rs 1,000 and expressed her willingness to accept the money, the agency said.
Based on the verification, the ACB decided to lay a trap to catch the prosecutor while allegedly accepting the bribe.
However, the operation did not result in an immediate arrest.
According to the ACB, the accused became suspicious of the complainant and the independent witness during the first trap and refused to accept the cash.
The agency subsequently continued its investigation into the complaint.
With final orders in the two property-related applications scheduled for August 11, the ACB decided to make another attempt to catch the accused.
The ACB laid a second trap before the scheduled orders in the cases. However, the accused allegedly suspected that police personnel were present and again refrained from accepting the money.
Although the two trap attempts did not lead to the immediate acceptance of the alleged bribe, the ACB continued to examine the complaint and the circumstances surrounding the alleged demand.
The agency said the verification and subsequent investigation provided sufficient grounds for further action.
Following the investigation, the ACB arrested the accused on Tuesday.
She has been booked under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the agency said. Further details about the specific charges and the proceedings against her were not immediately available.
The case relates to two applications concerning the release of funds frozen in connection with cyber and financial fraud investigations. The alleged demand was made in connection with the prosecutor's role in submitting responses before the judicial magistrate hearing those applications.
The ACB's action followed the complaint by the advocate, who had approached the agency after the alleged demand for payment.
(With inputs from PTI)
