This is a feather in the cap that the police will definitely want to dust away: the department was declared the “most corrupt” for the second consecutive year.

According to the figures available with the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) tabulated till June this year, 66 policemen were caught red-handed while accepting bribe. The revenue department followed with 46 cases registered against its employees, whereas the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) stood third with cases registered against its 18 employees.

“We are taking serious note of the complaints we receive,” said Niket Kaushik, additional police commissioner, ACB. “But our job is not to interpret the statistics and pass judgments about departments,” he added.

In 2008, 119 policemen were arrested in 93 cases registered followed by employees from the revenue department and civic bodies.

Most of those arrested on charges of corruption from the police department were class III employees. A total 60 policemen of class III (below sub-inspector), two of class II (assistant police inspector) and four of class I (above police inspector) were caught red-handed while accepting bribe last year.

“Class III employees generally come in direct contact with common man. When they demand money, the victim makes complaints after which we trap them,” observed a police officer of ACB.

The officer said that one should not conclude that corruption is more in police department.

Of the 46 revenue department employees arrested on corruption charges, one was of class IV, 38 were class III, two class II and five were class I officers.