A special court in Mumbai recently convicted Shivaji Ghag, a 63-year-old private agent, to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a ₹50,000 fine for accepting a ₹2,500 bribe in 2015. Ghag had demanded the bribe to facilitate the issuance of a wireman license through the electricity office in Chembur. The actual fee for the license was only ₹200. Upon being alerted, the Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted a trap operation, leading to Ghag’s arrest on September 29, 2015. Despite his health condition, the court emphasized the need for stringent punishment to deter such malpractice, highlighting the increasing trend of public servants seeking illegal gratification through agents at their offices .

The judge also noted that a private individual can be prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act even if no public servant is directly involved in the offense, referencing a Supreme Court order. Following Ghag’s plea, the judge suspended the sentence until the end of the appeal period, directing him to pay the fine.

Sources