ACB traps primary school headmaster, seizes ₹2.8 lakh bribe in Bhuj

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Bhuj, on Thursday arrested a primary school headmaster and honorary office-bearer of a cooperative society after catching him red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹2.8 lakh in a meticulously planned trap.

The accused has been identified as Ghanshyambhai Manorbhai Patel, an honorary minister and executive member of the Nakhatrana Taluka Primary Consumer Credit Cooperative Society, Nakhatrana, and also serving as a Class-III headmaster at Shri Mathal Primary School in Nakhatrana taluka of Kutch district.

According to the ACB, the complainant, described as a vigilant citizen, had supplied goods to the cooperative society, for which bills amounting to ₹7.52 lakh were pending approval. Patel allegedly demanded an illegal gratification of ₹2.8 lakh as commission for clearing the bills.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB and lodged a formal complaint. Acting on the information, the bureau laid a trap on Thursday.

During the operation, Patel allegedly held deliberate discussions with the complainant and reiterated his demand before accepting the bribe amount. He was apprehended immediately after receiving the cash, which was fully recovered from his possession.

The trap was executed on a public road near the gate of Akhil Kutch Lohana Mahajan Jalaram Bhojanalaya in Bhuj.

The operation was led by Police Inspector L S Chaudhary of the Bhuj ACB Police Station, along with his team. An offence has been registered under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and further investigation is under way.