Head constable caught taking bribe threatens to kill corporator hours later

A head constable posted at Gangapur police station was caught red-handed taking a bribe, and hours after his arrest he allegedly threatened to kill the deputy chairperson of the municipal council in the police station's own area. A separate case has been registered against the head constable, Shakeel Sattar Shaikh, at Gangapur police station over the threat.

The case began on September 10, when a 30-year-old labourer filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). An arrest warrant had been issued against the labourer, and according to the complaint, head constable Shakeel Shaikh demanded a bribe of five thousand rupees to help him without arresting him. The complaint was verified and found to be true, after which Shaikh agreed to accept three thousand rupees during negotiations.

Under the supervision of ACB Deputy SP Balasaheb Shinde and Police Inspector Raju B. Nangalot, police constables Sinkar and Todkar laid a trap. At around 11 pm on Thursday, an ACB team caught Shaikh red-handed in front of panch witnesses as he accepted three thousand rupees coated with anthracene powder from the complainant in a room at Gangapur police station itself. A case has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. According to the ACB, Shaikh's house is also being searched.

Shortly after the arrest, Shaikh is alleged to have threatened to kill Amol Jagtap (35), deputy chairperson of the municipal council, in the area of Gangapur police station itself. Jagtap has filed a police complaint about this. According to the complaint, at around 11 pm Jagtap was standing with his friend Rahul Duryodhan Wankhede in front of Patel Tea House when Ganesh Rajput told them that Swapnil Ganesh Gaikwad was at the police station, following which Jagtap and Wankhede rode there on a motorbike. At around 11:28 pm, Shakeel Shaikh came out from behind the police station along with Swapnil Gaikwad and four or five other people.

According to the complaint, Shaikh looked at Jagtap and said that this action would not affect him, that he would come back and finish him off, that he was worthless, and that he would show him later. The complaint also states that Shaikh hurled abuses invoking Jagtap's mother and sister. Following the incident, which took place in the police station's own area, a case has been registered at Gangapur police station under Sections 352(2) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The incident inside a police station itself has become a major talking point in the city, raising questions about both law and order and police conduct.