Gujarat ACB nabs couple for taking bribe in name of AMC officials

Ahmedabad: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday nabbed two persons while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 3.15 lakh in the city. The entire bribe amount was recovered from the accused during the trap.

The accused have been identified as Shilpaben Vijaybhai Ahir and Vijaybhai Dahyabhai Ahir, both residents of Ramakrishna Society near Uttamnagar on Nikol Gam Road in Ahmedabad.

According to the ACB, the complainant had carried out construction work on the first floor of his house and shop by replacing a thatched roof with a concrete slab structure. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) East Zone had subsequently issued two notices in the name of the complainant’s mother regarding the construction, stating that it had been carried out without permission and questioning why the unauthorised construction should not be removed.

The ACB said that in connection with the notices, accused Shilpaben Ahir allegedly approached the complainant and threatened that the newly constructed portion would be demolished. She allegedly demanded Rs 3 lakh, claiming it was to be paid to AMC officials, and an additional Rs 25,000 for herself, taking the total demand to Rs 3.25 lakh.

The complainant had already paid Rs 10,000 to the accused, while the remaining Rs 3.15 lakh was to be paid on Wednesday. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB and lodged a complaint.

Based on the complaint, the Anand ACB team laid a trap on August 19. The two accused allegedly accepted Rs 3.15 lakh from the complainant at Soni’s Chali Char Rasta on a public road in Ahmedabad. The ACB team caught both accused during the operation and recovered the entire bribe amount. DeshGujarat