Health inspector caught red-handed after demanding cash from café owner running without licence on banned industrial land, ACB sting exposes corruption racket
The Bean Box Café operated without licences on the first floor of Backyard Snooker, located within Charkop Industrial Estate, Kandivli West. Pic/Satej Shinde
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a BMC health officer in Kandivli for accepting a Rs 30,000 bribe to allow a cafe to operate illegally on industrial estate land in Charkop, Kandivli West. Acting on a tip-off from the cafe owner, the ACB laid a trap and caught the officer red-handed during a meeting where the bribe was being collected in exchange for permission to operate without a license.
The complainant, Ravi Lakhani, 37, runs ‘The Bean Box Cafe’ inside Backyard Snooker, located on land designated for industrial use under the Kandivli Co-operative Industrial Estate. Lakhani admitted to police that he had been operating without a formal rental agreement, a health license, or Eating House permission.
Following mid-day’s reports, the state government directed the collector to reclaim land illegally being used for commercial activity. A total of 116 acres and 20 gunthas of industrial land in the estate have been earmarked for industrial use only. The BMC also initiated action against several violators. Police said Lakhani had been running the cafe for about a year, paying R28,000 per month to the land occupier.
A police officer said, “On June 24, two officials from the BMC’s R South Ward Health Department, including Health Inspector Ganesh Sambhaji Kadam, visited the cafe. They asked for licenses to operate. When Lakhani admitted he had none, they asked him to shut down. They told him to report to the ward office.”
“What’s happening at the Charkop industrial estate isn’t isolated corruption, it’s a deep-rooted nexus between BMC departments, revenue officials, and unit holders illegally commercialising public land meant for industrial use,” said Reji Abraham, president, United Association for Social Educational & Public Welfare Trust.
Timeline of case
BMC officials: “Pay a fine of Rs 11,000 and collect your seized items.”
Lakhani: “I don’t have that much money.”
Lakhani met Inspector Kadam at the ward office and requested help to continue running the cafe.
Kadam: “If you want to run the cafe for three months, you’ll need to pay R40,000.”
Lakhani: “What is this money for?”
Kadam: “For letting you run the cafe illegally.”
Lakhani: “I don’t have that kind of money right now.”
He left, saying he would “try something.”
Lakhani approached the ACB office in Worli and filed a complaint.
Police Inspectors Nitin Thorat and Santosh Gujar were assigned the case.
They began recording calls and interactions. Kadam called Lakhani and asked him to bring the money.
Lakhani met Kadam again, who now demanded R30,000.
The ACB laid a trap. Lakhani was given R15,000 in R500 notes, coated with Athrosin powder, and placed in a brown envelope.
ACB official to Lakhani: “Keep your phone on so we can record everything. Once he accepts the bribe, we’ll raid and arrest him.”
Kadam: “Meet me at Raghuleela Mall, Kandivli West, at 4 pm with the money.”
As Kadam accepted envelope, ACB officers swooped in and arrested him.
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