Excise Inspector Arrested For ₹22 Lakh Bribe

An inspector of the Maharashtra State Excise Department was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly demanding a ₹22 lakh bribe from a liquor licence consultant.

The accused, Jitendra Harishchandra Patil, is a 47-year-old inspector residing in Kothrud, Pune.

He was caught for demanding the bribe in exchange for facilitating the approval of liquor-related licences.

The complainant, a licence consultant, had approached the department for approval of an FL-3 liquor licence and a file related to microbrewery fees for one of his firms.

Patil initially demanded ₹12 lakh for forwarding the FL-3 licence file for approval and another ₹8 lakh for clearing the microbrewery fee-related file, taking the initial demand to ₹20 lakh.

The complainant subsequently approached the ACB on April 10, 2026.

Following the complaint, the ACB conducted verification on April 13 and again on May 21 and 22.

During the verification, Patil was allegedly found demanding a total of ₹22 lakh from the complainant.

Following negotiations, the bribe amount was allegedly settled at ₹11 lakh.

The ACB registered a case against Patil at Yerawada Police Station and he was arrested on Monday evening.

He is scheduled to be produced before a court on Tuesday.

The action was carried out under the guidance of ACB Superintendent Shirish Sardeshpande and Additional Superintendent Ajit Patil.

Deputy Superintendent Satish Walke and police personnel Bhushan Thakur, Vikas Adke, Chandrakant Kadam, Vishal Mane and Vanita Gore were part of the operation.

This arrest highlights the ongoing efforts of the ACB to curb corruption in the state.

The Maharashtra State Excise Department is responsible for regulating the liquor trade in the state, and such incidents can undermine the public's trust in the department.

The ACB's actions demonstrate their commitment to ensuring that public officials act with integrity and transparency.

The case against Patil will now proceed through the court system, and he will face the consequences of his alleged actions.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and accountability in preventing corruption in public institutions.