Gandhinagar: Rampant corruption in the conversion of agricultural land into non-agriculture (NA) continues to prevail in the State. The then Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had snatched away the power of approving NA from the District Panchayats and claimed it would make the process corruption-free. But that step has resulted in centralized corruption at the district collector offices now.

Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Gujarat Police on Saturday nabbed a Deputy Mamlatdar of Patan district collector office (class-3 employee of the State government) for seeking and receiving Rs. 5 lakh bribe for approval to NA application.

Accused Alpesh Bhojabhai Kher(32), as per the ACB note demanded Rs. 5 lakh from an applicant for clearing the NA conversation application. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the applicant contacted ACB, following which a trap was arranged, and the accused deputy Mamlatdar Kher was nabbed after he received the bribe money at The Janta Medical store, located next to Janta Hospital in Patan. DeshGujarat