Tuesday’s courtroom drama in Satara culminated in the conviction of ESIC officer Swapnil Jadhav for bribery, earning him a one-year rigorous imprisonment term plus Rs 50,000 in fines. The special court relied on robust CBI-gathered evidence to enforce the Prevention of Corruption Act.
It all began with a March 28, 2016, CBI complaint detailing Jadhav’s demand for Rs 30,000 to exempt a company from Rs 3 lakh ESIC penalties over excess unregistered staff. The deal was struck at Rs 25,000.
A meticulously planned CBI raid that day caught Jadhav in the act, bribe in hand via proxy Abhijit Jadhav. Both were detained, with formal charges submitted post-investigation.
The trial distinguished culpability: Swapnil guilty as charged, Abhijit cleared. Beyond punishment, this ruling amplifies calls for vigilance in government oversight roles. It reassures the business community of justice against shakedowns, potentially deterring future malfeasance and bolstering ESIC’s credibility.