Maharashtra judge seeks pre-arrest bail in Rs 5 Lakh bribery case, denies allegations

A sessions court judge in Maharashtra, Dhananjay Nikam, has sought pre-arrest bail in the Bombay High Court after being accused in a bribery case. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) booked Nikam for allegedly demanding a Rs 5 lakh bribe in exchange for granting bail in a cheating case.

The Bombay High Court, through Justice N.R. Borkar, scheduled a hearing for Nikam’s plea on January 15, due to the involvement of a judicial officer. Nikam, represented by advocate Viresh Purwant, claims innocence, asserting that he was falsely implicated. The petition states that the FIR does not provide evidence of any direct demand or acceptance of bribe by Nikam.

It further argues that Nikam was unaware of the meetings between the complainant and the other accused, and that he was on leave or deputation on the dates mentioned in the complaint. The case originated when a woman filed a complaint after her father, a civilian defence employee, was denied bail in a cheating case. The woman’s bail application was reportedly to be heard by Nikam.

The ACB alleges that two individuals, Kishor Sambhaji Kharat from Mumbai and Anand Mohan Kharat from Satara, demanded a Rs 5 lakh bribe from the woman at Nikam’s behest. The anti-graft agency claims to have verified the bribe demand during an investigation between December 3 and 9, 2024, confirming that Nikam colluded with the Kharats. Nikam’s petition denies that he avoided hearing the bail application or promised favorable orders, pointing out that no bail orders were granted during the period in question.