The new year has turned nightmare for IAS officer and former Collector of Gujarat's Surendranagar district Rajendrakumar Patel. The IAS officer of 2015 batch has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a bribery-linked money laundering case.
Patel, was put on awaiting posting order (APO) serving last week after the ED arrested an official from Patel's office in the same case.
ED is probing alleged money laundering involving the deputy mamlatdar, Chandrasingh Mori, and others, following the registration of an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
Following the action of ED, Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has also registered an FIR against Patel and three others.
Mori, while serving as deputy mamlatdar, was responsible for title verification and processing change of land use (CLU) applications under the Saurashtra Gharkhed Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands Ordinance, 1949.
Mori allegedly misused his official position by demanding and collecting bribes from applicants in return for expediting approvals. The bribe amounts were allegedly calculated on a per square metre basis.
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