Acquitted: Lack of Evidence Clears Officer in Corruption Case

A special court acquitted retired assistant rationing officer Sanjay Sawardekar in a 2015 corruption case due to insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution. Critical testimony and forensic verification were missing, leading to his exoneration. The court highlighted these shortcomings, significantly weakening the prosecution's argument.

A special court in the city has acquitted Sanjay Sawardekar, a retired assistant rationing officer, in a corruption case dating back to 2015. The prosecution's inability to provide substantial evidence led to the decision.

In June 2015, Hitesh Ganatra accused Sawardekar of demanding a bribe to transfer a ration shop license to his son's name. Initially quoted at Rs 1 lakh, the bribe was reduced to Rs 80,000, urging the complainant to place the money in his office drawer.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau caught the officer with the alleged bribe, but the court found several evidence gaps, including the absence of testimony from a prime witness and failure to conduct critical forensic tests, ultimately leading to Sawardekar's acquittal.