Anti-Corruption Court Jails Gariadhar Engineer for 4 Years Over ₹21,000 Bribery Case
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
A special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Bhavnagar has sentenced a former assistant engineer from the Gariadhar Taluka Panchayat to four years of rigorous imprisonment in a 12-year-old bribery case. Fourth Additional Sessions Judge Hetalben Dave found the accused guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act on August 7, 2026, delivering a firm blow against government graft in public works projects.
Drainage Project Bill Held Hostage for 3% Cut
The conviction roots back to April 2014, when accused Kishorbhai Bavanjibhai Dhorajiya, then serving as an Assistant Engineer (Class-3) in the Gariadhar Taluka Panchayat, handled clearance files for a underground drainage project.
According to court records, the complainant had completed the assigned labour work following an official work order and submitted a labour bill amounting to ₹9,28,842 to the taluka office for approval. To process the bill and provide a favourable opinion, Dhorajiya demanded a 3% kickback, amounting to ₹28,000. After rounds of negotiation, the engineer agreed to settle for a reduced bribe of ₹21,000.
ACB Trap Catches Engineer Red-Handed
Refusing to yield to the illegal demand, the contractor approached the Bhavnagar ACB Police Station. On April 25, 2014, a specialized trapping unit led by Police Inspector A.K. Parmar laid a sting operation inside the official premises. Dhorajiya was caught red-handed as he accepted the marked ₹21,000 cash bribe from the complainant.
The subsequent investigation was conducted by Police Inspector A.A. Syed of the Amreli ACB Police Station, supervised by R.S. Choudhary, Assistant Director of the ACB Junagadh Division.
After evaluating the physical evidence, forensic findings, and witness testimony, Judge Hetalben Dave held Dhorajiya guilty under Sections 7, 13(1)(d), and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, awarding him four years of rigorous jail time along with financial penalties.
