ACB arrest one in Decoy trap for corruption in MSP purchase of groundnut by Cooperatives

Gandhinagar: In yet another action against corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (A.C.B.) successfully conducted a decoy operation at the APMC Godown in Satlasana, Mehsana district, on January 11, 2025. The operation resulted in the arrest of Kalyanji alias Kalaji Masaji Thakor, who was caught accepting a bribe of ₹4,500.

The incident stemmed from irregularities in the procurement of groundnuts at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) at the APMC Godown. Information received by ACB revealed that certain members of a cooperative society were demanding bribes ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹6,000 per vehicle for smooth purchase of agriculture produce. If bribe not paid, the corrupt persons involved in purchase would reject the produce by marking it as substandard. Acting on credible information, the A.C.B. enlisted the help of a vigilant citizen, referred to as the Decoy, to verify the allegations.

During the operation, the Decoy engaged the accused, Kalyanji, in a conversation regarding the purchase of groundnuts. Kalyanji demanded ₹5,000 to ensure that the Decoy’s produce would be accepted without any objections or defects. Following negotiations, the accused accepted ₹4,500 as a bribe and was apprehended red-handed by the A.C.B. team. The entire amount was recovered from him on the spot. DeshGujarat