Court Conviction and Sentence

The Special CBI Court in Pune on August 31, 2026, convicted and sentenced Devidas Shindikar, then Enforcement Officer in the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Nashik, to rigorous imprisonment for four years with a fine of ₹1.5 lakh. Reports from Free Press Journal and India Today confirm the conviction and sentencing, marking the culmination of a case that began more than a decade ago.

Case Background

The CBI registered the case on April 17, 2014, following a complaint by the general secretary of a school against Shindikar. It was alleged that Shindikar demanded a bribe in connection with the reduction of provident fund dues and penalties payable by the school.

According to the CBI spokesperson, Shindikar initially demanded ₹8.5 lakh from the complainant, a demand that was subsequently increased to ₹13 lakh. Following negotiations, the accused agreed to accept ₹10 lakh as the bribe amount.

Trap and Chargesheet

The CBI laid a trap on April 21, 2014, and caught Shindikar red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹10 lakh from the complainant. After completing the investigation, the agency filed a chargesheet against Shindikar before the court on July 21, 2014.

The case proceeded through trial, during which the prosecution presented evidence supporting the bribery allegations. Following consideration of the evidence and arguments, the court convicted Shindikar and sentenced him to four years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of ₹1.5 lakh.