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News Topical, Digital Desk : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a clerk at the Civil Sessions Court in Mazgaon, Mumbai, red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹15 lakh (approximately $1.5 million USD) in exchange for a favorable ruling from an Additional Sessions Judge in a land dispute case.
Anti-Corruption Bureau officials said a civil clerk-cum-typist was arrested for accepting a bribe of ₹15 lakh, while the judge was declared a wanted accused.
Judge accused of corruption
The Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested a clerk named Chandrakant Vasudev on Tuesday. According to an official release, Additional Sessions Judge Ejazuddin Salauddin Qazi of the Mazgaon Civil Court has been named as a wanted accused in the case. He said this may be the first such incident in recent years in which an Additional Sessions Judge has been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
demand of 25 lakhs
The Anti-Corruption Bureau stated that a sum of ₹2.5 million was initially demanded from the complainant, whose wife had filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court alleging the company's forced occupation of land owned by the company. This amount was later negotiated and reduced to ₹1.5 million. Of the ₹2.5 million demanded, ₹1 million was allegedly Vasudev's share and ₹1.5 million was for Judge Kazi.
The case was transferred to the Civil Sessions Court in Mazgaon.
In April 2016, the High Court prohibited the creation of third-party rights on the disputed land. Since the land was valued at less than ₹10 crore, the commercial suit was transferred to the Civil Sessions Court in Mazgaon.
The ACB said that on September 9, 2025, an office colleague of the complainant received a call from Vasudev when he was present in Court No. 14 of the Civil Sessions Court.
Vasudev allegedly met the complainant at a coffee shop in suburban Chembur, where he demanded ₹25 lakh. After the complainant refused to pay the large sum, Vasudev allegedly made repeated calls demanding the bribe, prompting the complainant to approach the ACB and file a complaint on November 10.
This is how he got arrested
Following ACB instructions, the complainant met Vasudev at the court premises and agreed to pay ₹1.5 million. Vasudev then called Judge Kazi to inform him of the payment, and the judge allegedly accepted the bribe. Vasudev was subsequently arrested.
Both Vasudev and Judge Kazi have been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Vasudev has been remanded in police custody for five days, while Judge Kazi remains a wanted accused. Further investigation is ongoing.
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