Guj: Anti-Corruption Bureau official caught while taking bribe

A police inspector attached to the Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe from a retired government servant who was the complainant in a corruption case.

Inspector D D Chavda, posted at Junagadh, was caught red-handed near Sanathan Circle on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city on Tuesday night while accepting Rs 18 lakh in cash, said deputy superintendent of police, ACB Ahmedabad, Bharti Pandya.

A former Joint Director in the Animal Husbandry department had filled a complaint of corruption with Junagadh ACB in 2018 about an alleged fraud of Rs 10.16 lakh.

The complainant, who is now retired, alleged that the sarpanch of Patla village in Junagadh district and five others misused government funds meant for the improvement of the common 'gauchar' (grazing) land.

"As Chavda was probing that case, he sought all the documents from the complainant. But then he allegedly started threatening to frame up the complainant in the same case and also to initiate inquiry against him in more cases," Pandya said.

For not taking action, Chavda allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh from the complainant and later agreed to accept Rs 18 lakh.

After the complainant approached senior ACB officials, a trap was laid and Chavda was arrested.

The ACB also conducted searches at his residence and found some documents related to dubious property purchases, Pandya said, adding that further probe was on.