They have been charged under Prevention of Corruption Act, an official said. (Representational)

Two Mumbai police officials were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) after they allegedly asked a man to buy stationary for them as he failed to give them Rs 500 as bribe, an official said.

Probationary sub-inspector Dilip Tukaram Pawar, 32, and constable Sarjerao Pungle, 35, were arrested in Mumbai's Santa Cruz area on Friday, he said.

"The man's car was involved in an accident and he wanted to file a complaint for insurance purposes. The accused first demanded Rs 500 to give a document the complainant wanted," the official said.

When the complainant expressed inability to give Rs 500, Pawar and Pungle asked him to buy stationery worth Rs 200 and get police station documents photo-copied at a cost of Rs 170, he added.

"The man approached the ACB which trapped Pungle when he came to collect the stationery and photo-copies. The PSI was held soon after. They have been charged under Prevention of Corruption Act," the official said.