Central Excise officer caught taking bribe in Goa

A senior Central Excise officer was today arrested by CBI for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 18,000 near here.

Superintendent of Central Excise A S Patil was accepting the bribe from a scrap dealer in Bicholim town, about 30km from here, CBI (anti-corruption bureau) Superintendent of Police S S Gavli told reporters.

CBI laid a trap after the dealer complained about constant harassment for bribe by the officer, he said.

The accused-officer had allegedly demanded money from the dealer and threatened to stop his business, based in Ponda town, 35km from here, if he failed to pay up, Gavli said.

Patil has been booked under Prevention of Corruption Act and remanded in two-day CBI custody by a court here.

Gavli said Patil's movable and immovable properties in Goa and Mumbai are being probed. The probe agency sleuths raided the excise officer's house in Mumbai after the arrest.

CBI said they have gathered evidence against the accused, including an audio recording.