ACB arrests husbands of two Gujarat Sarpanchs in separate bribery traps within 24 hours

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested the husbands of two women sarpanchs in separate bribery cases in Gujarat within a span of two days, exposing alleged corruption at the village panchayat level, as per reports.

In the first case, the ACB on Monday reportedly trapped two persons, including the husband of the Haripar Gram Panchayat sarpanch in Devbhumi Dwarka district, while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹5 lakh.

As per reports, the accused were identified as Dahyabhai Parmar, husband of the Haripar sarpanch, and his brother Jivabhai Parmar, a panchayat member. The duo allegedly demanded ₹30 lakh from a quarry owner and his partner to avoid harassment related to black stone quarry operations in Haripar village of Kalyanpur taluka.

Reports suggest that the accused later agreed to settle the deal for ₹20 lakh, with ₹5 lakh to be paid as the first instalment. Acting on a complaint by the quarry owner, the ACB laid a trap at an office in Kalyanpur town, where both men were allegedly caught red-handed while accepting the money.

In another operation on Tuesday, the ACB reportedly arrested Vadhuji Solanki, husband of the sarpanch of Dharpada Gram Panchayat in Banaskantha district's Deesa taluka, for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹1.10 lakh.

According to sources, a resident had sought permission from the gram panchayat to excavate soil from the village area. After the panchayat passed a resolution and forwarded it to the irrigation department, Solanki allegedly demanded ₹1.10 lakh to facilitate soil excavation from a village pond.

Following a complaint, the ACB set a trap near Juna Deesa, where Solanki was allegedly caught while accepting the bribe amount.

The ACB has launched further investigations in both cases to determine whether other individuals were involved in the alleged corruption.