Ahmedabad: An assistant electrical inspector posted at Udyog Bhavan in Gandhinagar was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a fire safety systems contractor. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) laid a trap on Monday based on a complaint filed by the contractor, leading to the arrest of Manish Rawal, 53.
According to ACB officials, Rawal had allegedly demanded a total bribe of Rs 5 lakh to approve certificates and no-objection certificates (NOCs) related to passive fire system installations. As part of the decoy operation, the complainant informed the accused that he would pay Rs 50,000 as the first installment on Monday.
The complainant's work involves installing passive fire systems at various building projects. Project owners routinely submit passive fire system certificates to the office of the electrical inspector for validation and issuance of NOCs.
A team from the ACB laid the trap near a bus stand close to Gha-2 Circle in Gandhinagar. Officials stated that the accused engaged in a purposeful conversation with the complainant before allegedly accepting the Rs 50,000 bribe. Immediately after the transaction, Rawal was arrested, and the entire amount was recovered from his possession.
Further investigation into the case is underway, with authorities examining potential links to other similar incidents. The ACB has emphasized its commitment to rooting out corruption in government departments.
