Gandhinagar: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Gujarat has registered a case against two government staffers for allegedly demanding demanding liquor bottle and cash as bribe to clear a taxi bill.

According to the ACB, the complainant had provided a Tata Indigo taxi (GJ 18 AX 7500) on rent to the Kalol sub-division of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board. A bill of ₹26,000 for September 2018 was sent for approval to the division office in Gandhinagar.

When the complainant inquired about the bill’s clearance, the accused—Kantilal Cheldas Patel (64), an English Typist (Class-3), and Bharatkumar Chimanlal Patel (62), a Senior Clerk (Class-3)—allegedly demanded ₹500 each and a liquor bottle as a bribe. After negotiations, they settled on ₹1,500. Based on scientific and other evidence collected during the investigation, the bribery demand was confirmed.

As a result, an FIR (No. 05/2025) was registered under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amendment Act, 2018) against the accused, both serving in the Public Health Engineering Department, Block “B,” Fifth Floor, Sahyog Sankul, Gandhinagar.

The investigation is being carried out by Police Inspector J.P. Chaudhary of ACB Sabarkantha. DeshGujarat