Thane Registrar Office Superintendent Booked for Demanding Rs 1.25 Lakh Bribe
The Thane Unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against Sudhakar Baliram Rathod, the Office Superintendent of the Thane Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies, for allegedly demanding a Rs 1.25 lakh bribe to clear the registration of a proposed industrial cooperative society. The incident took place at the District Deputy Registrar's office located in Gaondevi, Thane, where Rathod was taken into custody.
According to officials, the complainant had approached the Gaondevi office to register a proposed cooperative society. To process and clear the registration paperwork, Rathod allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 1.25 lakh from the complainant.
During the demand, Rathod reportedly specified the breakdown of the illicit payment. He allegedly told the complainant that Rs 1 lakh of the demanded amount was meant for his superior officers, while the remaining Rs 25,000 was his personal share for handling the paperwork.
Unwilling to comply with the corrupt demand, the complainant approached the Thane Unit of the ACB and filed a formal complaint on April 6, 2026. Following the complaint, ACB officials initiated a verification process to investigate the allegations.
The ACB team conducted a two-day verification on April 6 and April 7, 2026, at the District Deputy Registrar's office in Gaondevi. During this verification process, officials confirmed that Rathod had explicitly demanded the illegal gratification in exchange for performing his official duties.
Based on the verified evidence, the ACB team intercepted the official at his workplace. Rathod was taken into custody directly from his office premises.
Following his apprehension, a case was officially registered against Rathod at the Naupada Police Station. The charges were filed under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which pertains to public servants accepting gratification other than their legal remuneration. The case was reported on July 15, 2026.
