Ahmedabad, May 5 (IANS) The Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) apprehended four individuals, including a Sub-Registrar and contractual staff of the Sub-Registrar Office at Naroda-6 in Ahmedabad, in connection with an alleged bribery case involving Rs 2.5 lakh, officials said on Tuesday.

According to the ACB, the complainant had approached the office for registration of a residential property document.

During the process, Sub-Registrar Aakash Desai initially raised objections. Subsequently, contractual employees of the office allegedly intervened in the matter.

Jay Adivasi, a contractual stamp operator, and Rahil Sheikh, a contractual search operator, are alleged to have contacted the complainant and assured him that the documentation process would be completed.

Officials said one of the accused later contacted the complainant via WhatsApp and informed him that the work would be processed without requiring a condition document under Section 73(AA) from the Collector’s office.

It is further alleged that an initial payment of Rs 35,000 was collected online through a QR code linked to an associate, purportedly for “token unlocking” of the file.

Thereafter, a demand of Rs 2.5 lakh was allegedly made for completion of the registration process, said to be on the instructions of the Sub-Registrar.

Unwilling to pay the alleged bribe, the complainant approached the ACB, following which a trap was arranged on the same day.

During the operation, officials said Jay Adivasi allegedly engaged in conversation with the complainant and, acting on behalf of Aakash Desai along with Narendra alias Sonu Ramkaran Bohra, accepted the bribe amount within the premises of the Sub-Registrar’s office.

The entire sum of Rs 2.5 lakh was recovered from the spot. All accused were apprehended during the operation, and the cash was seized.

Further investigation into the case is underway, officials added.

In earlier anti-corruption operations in Gujarat, the ACB had arrested three individuals in January for allegedly accepting a Rs 32,000 bribe in connection with Aadhaar-related services at a civic centre in the Saraspur area of Ahmedabad, within the Collector’s office premises.

In another case in March, a senior officer of the State Intelligence Bureau was arrested in Gandhinagar for allegedly accepting an Rs 80,000 bribe in connection with the renewal of police protection, following a trap laid by the ACB.

–IANS

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