Trader duo held for trying to bribe Guj forest officer

A trader and his son were arrested today for allegedly trying to bribe a senior Gujarat Government official with Rs 4 lakh in return of official favour, ACB said.
"Malukchand Agrawal and his son Kirti Agrawal were arrested for allegedly offering a bribe of Rs 4 lakh to Nirupam Vaishnav, a sub-divisional manager at Gujarat Van Vikas Nigam, for disposing of an inquiry against them in connection with a gum trading permit," said ACB Assistant Director P R Gehlot.
Vaishnav also holds additional charge of Range Forest Officer (RFO) at Godhra in neighbouring Panchmahal district.
Agrawals have a godown in Godhra for storing gum which they procure from Maharashtra and sell it to different places with government permit.

"On September 19 last year, Vaishnav had searched the godown and found that 1108 quintals of stock was missing from the godown and sent a report to concerened higher authorities who ordered a detail inquiry into the matter," Gehlot said.
According to ACB, Agrawals allegedly offered Rs 4 lakh to Vaishnav to hush up the matter, however, the latter secretly shot and recorded the conversation.
The duo were arrested after a trap was laid by ACB sleuths while offering Rs 2 lakh in cash and equal amount in cheque to the officer.
They have been booked under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.