The Gujarat government has officially placed a senior bureaucrat under suspension following his arrest by a central investigative agency in a corruption scandal. The action underscores a significant crackdown on alleged malpractice within the state's land administration system.
Deemed Suspension Order Issued
On Sunday, the General Administration Department (GAD) of the Gujarat government issued a deemed suspension order for Surendranagar District Collector Rajendrakumar Patel. The order is directly linked to his current custody with the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The official order stated that since Patel, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has been in the official custody of the Enforcement Directorate from January 2, 2026, and will remain so at least until January 7, 2026, the period exceeds the critical 48-hour threshold. Consequently, he is deemed to be placed under suspension effective from January 2 itself.
The Core of the Bribery Allegations
Rajendrakumar Patel was arrested last week in connection with an alleged bribery racket operating within the Surendranagar collectorate. The scandal revolves around accusations that officials demanded bribes to expedite the processing of applications for land-use change.
While seeking his custody in a special PMLA court on Friday, the ED presented startling details. The agency cited statements from co-accused, outlining a structured distribution of illicit money among various officials involved in the purported scheme.
According to the ED's submission, arrested deputy mamlatdar and executive magistrate Chandrasinh Mori provided a breakdown of the bribe share distribution:
- 50% of the collected bribe was allegedly directed to Collector Rajendrakumar Patel.
- 25% was said to go to Residential Additional Collector R K Oza.
- 10% was kept by Chandrasinh Mori himself.
- Another 10% was allocated to Mamlatdar Mayur Dave.
- The remaining 5% went to clerk Maryusinh Gohil.
The ED also informed the court that Patel's custody was necessary to trace the proceeds of the alleged crime and ascertain where he had stashed the money received as bribes. The court subsequently remanded Patel to ED custody until January 7.
Implications and Ongoing Probe
This case highlights serious concerns about corruption in land-related governance. The suspension of a serving district collector, a high-ranking IAS officer, points to the gravity of the evidence being pursued by the central agency.
The investigation continues to unfold, with the ED probing the money trail and the roles of other named officials. The state government's swift suspension order, triggered by the extended ED custody, follows established protocol but also signals a firm stance amidst the damaging allegations.
The fallout from this racket is likely to have significant repercussions within the state's administrative circles, as the probe seeks to uncover the full extent of the alleged corruption network in Surendranagar.
