Joint commissioner of sales tax, Balasaheb Tukaram Deshmukh, who was arrested on Thursday for accepting a bribe from his subordinate deputy commissioner, has been under the anti-corruption bureau's (ACB) scanner since 2002. The ACB had initiated a probe into his disproportionate assets but had to close the inquiry for lack of evidence.

There was also a case of dowry harassment against him by his estranged wife in Thane. ''We have no idea what happened to that case,'' an officer said.

Deshmukh was arrested after he demanded and accepted Rs 50,000 as bribe from his subordinate officer. The joint commissioner of sales tax was produced in the special ACB court on Friday and remanded in police custody till November 8. The ACB team also carried out a search of his Thane flat but could not find anything. Deshmukh stays with his minor son.

The complainant, a deputy commissioner, had said that he was posted in the Andheri division and was also holding additional charge of the Nariman Point office. In June, the complainant was transferred to Bandra from Andheri. There was no official order asking him to hand over the Nariman Point charge.

In October, Deshmukh issued a show-cause notice to the complainant, saying his additional charge of Nariman Point office was illegal.

''Deshmukh demanded Rs 1 lakh as bribe to keep quiet or else threatened to take departmental action against the complainant. Initially, the complainant paid him Rs 20,000,'' said an ACB officer. The complainant then approached the ACB.