3 including 2 senior KPT officers nabbed, over 140, Rs 2000 notes accepted as bribe recovered

Bhuj: In the first ever case related to bribe involving newly introduced Rs 2000 currency notes in Guajrat and perhaps whole of the country post demonetization of the Rs 500/1000 notes, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has nabbed three persons including two officers of government run Kandla Port Trust (KPT) in Gandhidham city of Kutch district of in connection with taking bribe from an electric line maintenance and material supply company.

The ACB has recovered 145 notes of Rs 2000 denomination (totaling Rs 2 lakh 90 thousand) from the culprits and also reportedly sized some documents related to benami properties and other goods.

PI of the ACB, Bhuj unit who laid the trap to nab to nab the culprits, H M Kansagara today said that Superintendent Engineer of KPT, Shrinvansu and Sub Divisional Officer A Kumteshwar had asked for a bribe of Rs 4 lakh from the company to clear its bill and other works.

The company had complained about it to the ACB which laid the trap last evening and nabbed one middleman Rudreshwar Sunamudi red handed accepting bribe of Rs 2 lakh 50 thousand (125 notes of Rs 2000) on behalf of Shrinvansu. Later Rs 40000 value of such notes were also recovered from the SDO’s residence which was paid to him as part of Rs 1.50 lakh demanded by him. The middleman after taking the bribe confirmed about it to the superintendent engineer over mobile phone.

ACB has nabbed all the three and further investigation in this regard is on.

This is the first arrest related to bribe in Gujarat post demonetization of Rs 500/1000 notes.

During further investigation some documents of benami properties have also been reportedly found from the culprits.

DeshGujarat