Dahod, December 21: In a successful anti-corruption operation, the Mahisagar unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday trapped and arrested a Talati-cum-Mantri for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹5,000. The accused has been identified as Abhinandan Sanjaykumar Parmar (32), a Class-III Talati-cum-Mantri posted at Dhadhela–Itawa Gram Panchayat in Jhalod taluka of Dahod district.

The trap was laid following a complaint by a vigilant citizen, who alleged that the accused had been demanding illegal gratification for clearing official formalities and approving bills related to development works.

According to the ACB, administrative approval was granted in 2024 for the construction of RCC roads and community toilets in Dhadhela and Inta villages. After completion of the works, the complainant approached the accused for filling CC forms, approving pending bills and completing other related procedures. It is alleged that the Talati-cum-Mantri demanded a bribe of ₹30,000 for processing the work.

The complaint states that the accused had already collected ₹17,500 and ₹2,000 in cash in installments, besides demanding and receiving ₹2,500 and ₹500 through online transfers on two occasions. When the accused allegedly demanded an additional ₹5,000, the complainant approached the ACB.

Acting on the complaint, the ACB planned a trap. During the operation conducted on December 21, 2025, the accused allegedly accepted ₹5,000 as bribe from the complainant in the presence of a panch witness. The trap was executed near a tea stall outside the main gate of Jhalod bus station, where the bribe amount of ₹5,000 was recovered from the accused.

The trap was carried out by Police Inspector M.M. Tejot of the Mahisagar ACB Police Station. The operation was supervised by B.M. Patel, Assistant Director, ACB Panchmahal Unit, Godhra, under the overall charge of Baldev Desai, IPS, Deputy Director, ACB, Vadodara Range.