Ahmedabad, August 8: The Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) apprehended a private broker on Friday for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹36,000 in exchange for securing fire No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for six buildings in Ahmedabad. Following initial evidence of involvement, legal action has also been initiated against the Chief Fire Officer of Ahmedabad.
According to the ACB, the complainant is a vigilant citizen working as a Fire Safety Officer (FSO), providing fire safety services to various buildings in Ahmedabad. The complainant had submitted applications for fire NOCs for six buildings through the state government’s online portal.
The ACB alleges that the second accused, 31-year-old Bhavsinh Jhala, demanded a total of ₹36,000 at the rate of ₹6,000 for each NOC, assuring the complainant of approval for the applications in return.
Instead of paying the bribe, the complainant lodged a complaint at the Vadodara ACB police station. Based on this complaint, the ACB set up a trap on Friday in the presence of two independent government witnesses.
The operation took place near the Yash Aqua Complex at Vijay Cross Road in the Memnagar area of Ahmedabad. During the trap, Jhala allegedly engaged in discussions related to the bribe with the complainant and accepted ₹36,000. The ACB team subsequently caught him red-handed.
The bureau reported that preliminary investigations also revealed the name of 47-year-old Amit Kumar Dongre, the Chief Fire Officer of Ahmedabad and a first-class officer.
According to the ACB, during the operation, Jhala was in contact with Dongre via phone, indicating the officer’s consent regarding the bribe amount. The investigation has shown that Jhala demanded and accepted the bribe at Dongre’s behest, with both accused allegedly assisting each other in committing the crime under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The ACB stated, “The trap operation was led by Inspector A.N. Prajapati of the Vadodara ACB police station, under the supervision of Assistant Director B.M. Patel of the Vadodara ACB unit. The Deputy Director of the Vadodara range, Baldev Desai, was in charge of the entire operation. Legal action against both accused is ongoing.”
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.