Former AMC official booked for recruitment fraud, police probe underway

The Ahmedabad Police have registered a case against a former head clerk of Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Pulkit Chandrakantbhai Sathwara, for allegedly manipulating recruitment results in exchange for personal gains, thereby enabling ineligible candidates to secure government jobs.

As per the complaint lodged by Pravinkumar Chhaganbhai Savaliya, an assistant manager in AMC’s Grain department, Sathwara--who was then entrusted with coordinating recruitment processes with examination bodies—tampered with merit lists, altered marks, and validated invalid applications during multiple recruitment drives between February 2023 and February 2024.

The complaint states that eight candidates were wrongfully appointed across various posts, including Surveyor, Sanitary Inspector, Assistant Sanitary Inspector, Pharmacist and Female Health Worker. In several instances, marks of unsuccessful candidates were allegedly inflated, and even those disqualified during document verification were later declared valid.

An internal inquiry conducted by a high-level committee comprising senior AMC officials found evidence of malpractice across five different recruitment processes. The committee concluded that the appointments of all eight candidates were “fraudulent and unsustainable” and recommended their cancellation. Following this, AMC issued orders on August 11, 2025, cancelling the appointments and discharging the candidates from service.

The FIR further notes that Sathwara, a permanent AMC employee and public servant, “committed criminal breach of trust and fraud in the discharge of his duties”, thereby damaging the reputation of AMC and depriving deserving candidates of their rightful appointments.

The case has been registered at Karanj police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita about cheating, forgery, and criminal breach of trust by a public servant. Inspector P H Bhati, who is investigating the matter, confirmed that police have begun scrutinising documents, including recruitment advertisements, answer keys, appointment orders, and the official committee report.

Police sources said investigators will also verify whether Sathwara acted alone or in connivance with others. If proven, the case could have wider implications for recruitment procedures in civic bodies across the state.