State Excise Inspector Arrested over Alleged Rs 11-Lakh Bribe Demand in Pune
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 10th August 2026: The Pune unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a State Excise Department inspector on Monday for allegedly demanding an ₹11-lakh bribe from a licence consultant in connection with the approval of files related to an FL-3 liquor licence.
The accused was identified as Jitendra Harishchandra Patil, 47, an inspector attached to the State Excise Department’s H Division at Shastrinagar in Yerawada, the ACB said.
According to the ACB, the 37-year-old complainant works as a licence consultant. He approached the agency on April 10, alleging that Patil had initially demanded ₹12 lakh for forwarding a firm’s FL-3 licence proposal for approval and another ₹8 lakh for approving a separate file concerning the same firm. The total alleged demand was ₹20 lakh.
The ACB conducted verification proceedings on April 13, May 21 and May 22. During the verification, Patil allegedly demanded a total of ₹22 lakh. Following negotiations, he allegedly reduced the demand to ₹11 lakh, the agency said.
A case was registered against Patil at Yerawada police station at 3.44 p.m. on Monday under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He was arrested at around 5.10 p.m.
The investigation is being conducted by Deputy Superintendent of Police Satish Walke of the Pune ACB under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardeshpande and Additional Superintendent of Police Ajit Patil.
The ACB appealed to citizens to report demands for bribes by public servants. Complaints may be lodged through its toll-free helpline, 1064, or the Pune office’s contact numbers.
