Vadodara

The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) today caught red handed the priest of a local church and treasure of Gujarat Methodist Church taking a bribe of Rs seven lakhs from a person in the name of helping him get the job of a teacher in a school in Godhara of which he is a director.

PI of the Vadodara branch of the ACB, Kalpesh Solanki, who was in the trap team, following a complaint in this regard said that priest of the Methodist Church in Fatehgunj here, Simon M Brainerd was caught from his residence. He had demanded Rs 9 lakhs from Gersinh Patelia, a resident of Mahudha who had appeared in an interview for the post of social sciences teacher in a school of Godhara on December 23 last year.

Simon, a director of the church run school was also one of the interviewers. He had allegedly ranged up Gersinh asking for money. He even had a meeting with Gersinh and his Father Ishwardas in a resort here when he allegedly settled for Rs 7 lakh. He had also insisted for payment of the amount through a bearer cheque.

Ishwardas had complained the Vadodara ACB yesterday. The trap was laid today and Simon was caught red handed taking the cheque. The matter was being further investigated.

– DeshGujarat