In a significant crackdown on corruption within the police force, the Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested a police inspector and an armed constable attached to the state's CID Crime unit. The officers were apprehended for allegedly accepting a massive bribe of Rs 30 lakh to ensure no action was taken in a criminal investigation.
The Bribe Demand and Complaint
The case came to light when a complainant approached the ACB, reporting that the policemen had demanded money in exchange for not pursuing action in a case registered at the CID Crime (Gandhinagar Zone) police station. After verifying the allegations, the ACB team decided to lay a trap to catch the accused red-handed.
The accused were identified as Inspector P K Patel and Armed Police Constable Vipul Desai, both posted with the CID Crime, CI Cell in Gandhinagar. According to the ACB, the duo had allegedly demanded the Rs 30 lakh sum from the complainant and his friend, offering them an assurance that the criminal case would be shelved.
The Sting Operation and Arrest
The ACB orchestrated a meticulous trap on a public road near the office of a builder's group close to Swagat City Mall at Sargasan in Gandhinagar. During the operation, constable Vipul Desai allegedly engaged in a direct conversation with the complainant and accepted the bribe amount of Rs 30 lakh. The entire sum was recovered on the spot by the waiting ACB officials.
ACB officers stated that Inspector P K Patel was complicit in the crime, having consented to the transaction and actively assisted in the acceptance of the bribe. This established clear mutual complicity between the two accused. The bureau confirmed that the demand, acceptance, and recovery of the bribe money were conclusively proved during the trap proceedings.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
Following their arrest, both accused were taken into custody. The ACB has initiated further legal action against them under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The trap was conducted under the supervision of Inspector D N Patel of the ACB, Ahmedabad city, along with his team.
Senior ACB officials indicated that the investigation will now delve deeper. They will examine the specific role of the arrested officers in the original criminal case and probe whether they had made similar illicit demands in the past. This arrest highlights the ongoing efforts by the anti-corruption watchdog to cleanse the system and hold public servants accountable.
