The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday arrested a Senior Account Officer and an Assistant Account Officer of the CGST office in Vapi for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from a local nursery owner.
According to the complainant, he had secured a contract to supply plants with pots to the CGST office, which he fulfilled in a timely manner. He submitted a bill of Rs 29,000 to the CGST accounts department and regularly followed up with the officers for payment.
During a recent visit, Assistant Account Officer Kapil Jain, allegedly in the presence of Senior Account Officer Ravishanker Jha, demanded Rs 2,000 to clear the pending bill. The nursery owner reported the matter to the ACB, prompting an investigation.
A trap was laid at the office of Kapil Jain, where the complainant handed over the bribe amount. ACB officers in plain clothes immediately apprehended both officers, who were subsequently brought to the Valsad ACB office and arrested under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Surat Assistant Director of ACB R R Chaudhary confirmed the arrests, stating, "We are questioning them."
This incident underscores the continued vigilance of the ACB in curbing corruption within government departments, ensuring accountability in public offices.
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