The Gujarat government has placed Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Rajendrakumar Patel under deemed suspension following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering and bribery case. The suspension order was issued by the state's General Administration Department (GAD) on Sunday.
The Arrest and Initial Action
Rajendrakumar Patel, a 2015-batch IAS officer who was serving as the collector of Surendranagar district, was arrested by the ED on January 2. A special court dealing with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) subsequently remanded him to the central agency's custody until January 7. Prior to his arrest, the state government had already transferred Patel, placing him at the disposal of the GAD without assigning him any specific posting.
Details of the Money Laundering Racket
The case under investigation revolves around an alleged racket that involved collecting bribes for processing applications seeking changes in land use within Surendranagar district. According to the ED's submissions in court, the arrested IAS officer had fixed bribe rates for pleas submitted through the Gujarat government's online portal for land-use conversions.
The probe gained momentum after the ED first arrested Chandrasinh Mori, a deputy mamlatdar at the Surendranagar Collectorate, on December 23 last year. A significant sum of Rs 67.50 lakh was allegedly recovered from Mori's residence. Following this, based on a complaint from the ED, the Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered a separate case against both Mori and Patel.
Invocation of Deemed Suspension Rules
The state government's action to suspend Patel was taken under the provisions of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The rule allows for a 'deemed suspension' of a government officer upon their arrest in connection with a serious charge. This legal step automatically places the officer under suspension from the date of arrest, pending further departmental or judicial proceedings.
The sequence of events highlights a tightening noose around the alleged corruption network. The case has put a spotlight on administrative processes related to land-use changes, a area often vulnerable to graft. The suspension of a senior district collector marks a significant development in the ongoing crackdown on corruption within the state's administrative machinery.
