Mumbai:
Here is a case of corruption with a twist. It might make you sympathise with the perpetrator.
Ranjana Bobbal, a superintendent in the central excise department, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on September 21 for extortion. Also arrested were two of her colleagues and another person.
The four had allegedly demanded Rs15,000 from one Uday Vichare to issue him a customs bonding licence.
When CBI officials raided the homes of the accused, they recovered from Bobbal's colleagues cash and property worth over Rs3 crore, which is much higher than their known sources of income.
In contrast, they found nothing substantial at Bobbal's residence.
It turned out she had all along been a rather upright employee and only of late had become corrupt.
The reason is she is suffering from cancer, the treatment of which has stretched her finances.
A CBI official said: "She started accepting bribes recently, which is why not much illegal cash or property was recovered from her during our raid."
Vichare, in his complaint, wrote that Bobbal accepted Rs5,000 from him while inspecting his office premises. She told him to give her Rs10,000 more after the issuance of the license.
CBI officials said Bobbal and her two colleagues ran their syndicate with the aid of Deepak Vanaye, who would do the collection bit from the licence seekers.
He was paid Rs4,000 a month for his labours. "Vanaye would also carry files and make entries in computers," the official said. "This too is illegal."
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