ACB nabs Sarpanch and accomplice in bribery case

Navsari: The Anti-corruption Bureau in Gujarat has nabbed a Sarpanch of Sadakpor gram panchayat in Chikhli, Navsari, along with another person, in a bribe case involving Rs. 15,000.

The complainant wanted to rent a place for a mango business in Sadakpor. Chhotubhai Maganlal Patel, the accused, arranged a place for the complainant. He then introduced the complainant to the accused Sarpanch, Sanjaykumar Maganbhai Patel, for obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sadakpor gram panchayat to run the business.
The accused Sarpanch instructed the complainant to talk to the accused Chhotubhai regarding the NOC transaction. Chhotubhai demanded a bribe of Rs. 20,000, including Rs. 10,000 for the accused Sarpanch and Rs. 10,000 for himself, to issue the NOC.

The complainant gave him Rs. 5,000 and agreed to pay the remaining amount when the NOC was issued. However, the accused threatened to find faults and delay the issuance of the NOC if the remaining bribe was not paid. Fearing harassment, the complainant approached the Anti-corruption Bureau.

During the trap set up by the ACB, Chhotubhai was caught taking a bribe of Rs. 15,000 on behalf of the accused Sarpanch. Both the accused have been detained. DeshGujarat