Ahmedabad ACB traps Naroda sub-registrar, three others in ₹2.5 lakh bribery case

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday trapped a sub-registrar posted in Ahmedabad and three others for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹2.5 lakh from a citizen in connection with processing property registration documents, officials said.

Those apprehended have been identified as

• Akash Amrutbhai Desai, Sub-Registrar, Naroda-6 office, Bahumali Bhavan, Asarwa, Ahmedabad;
• Jay Baldevbhai Adivasi, contractual stamping/sikka operator
• Rahil Shaikh, contractual search operator
• Narendra alias Sonu Ramkaran Bohra, a private individual

According to the ACB, the complainant, described as a vigilant citizen, had approached the Naroda-6 Sub-Registrar’s Office for registration of a residential property document.

During the process, Sub-Registrar Desai allegedly first raised objections to the document. Subsequently, Jay Adivasi allegedly contacted the complainant via WhatsApp call and claimed that the paperwork could be processed without the complainant having to obtain a conditional clearance certificate under Section 73(AA) from the Collector’s office.

Police said the complainant later met Adivasi and Rahil Shaikh at the sub-registrar’s office, where the duo allegedly demanded money for unlocking the document token and facilitating the registration.

Investigators further alleged that Shaikh had already obtained ₹35,000 online from the complainant through a QR code belonging to his friend.

Thereafter, acting on the instructions of the sub-registrar, the accused allegedly demanded an additional ₹2.5 lakh as illegal gratification for clearing the document, the ACB said.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB, which laid a trap on Monday.

During the operation, officials said Adivasi held conversations with the complainant regarding the bribe demand and, acting on behalf of the sub-registrar, coordinated with co-accused Narendra Bohra to receive the money. The accused were allegedly caught red-handed while accepting the bribe amount.

The ACB recovered the full ₹2.5 lakh trap amount from the spot.

The three accused Desai, Adivasi and Bohra were apprehended at the scene, while further investigation is under way regarding the precise role of the remaining accused.