Class 1 officer among 3 held by Gujarat ACB in bribe case

Rajkot: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Gujarat on Wednesday nabbed a Class-I officer and two others for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 in Rajkot.

The accused are Piyush Babubhai Bambhroliya, Executive Engineer (Class-I), Roads & Buildings Mechanical Subdivision, Rajkot; Nirav Pravinchandra Rathod, Deputy Executive Engineer (Class-II) of the same division; and their accomplice, Sudhir Navinchandra Bavishi.

As per the ACB, the complainant is engaged in operating mechanical amusement rides at fairs across Saurashtra. Earlier, during a local fair at Ranuja, Kalavad (Jamnagar district), the accused officers had inspected his rides. During the process, accused Nirav Rathod allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹1,00,000 for issuing the fitness certificate required for the rides. After negotiation, the amount was settled at ₹50,000.

Unwilling to pay the illegal gratification, the complainant approached the Morbi ACB and filed a complaint. Acting on the information, ACB officials laid a trap on Wednesday near Bajrang Tea Stall under Parevdi Chowk Bridge in Rajkot. During the operation, accused Sudhir Bavishi accepted the bribe money of ₹50,000 on behalf of the officials and was immediately caught red-handed.

The ACB has registered an offence against all three accused for demanding and accepting a bribe and for abetment in corruption. Further investigation is underway. DeshGujarat