Gandhinagar court rejects bail plea of CID PI in ₹30 lakh bribery case

The Sessions Court in Gandhinagar, Gujarat has rejected the regular bail application of Police Inspector Pethabhai Patel, a key accused in a high-profile bribery case registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Patel, aged 46 and posted with the CID Crime, C.I. Cell Unit-3 in Gandhinagar, along with co-accused Armed Police Constable Vipulkumar i Desai (35), also from the same unit, was arrested by the ACB on December 15, 2025. The duo faced charges under Sections 7, 12, 13(1), and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹30 lakh.

The case, registered at ACB Gandhinagar Police Station stemmed from a trap laid after a complainant reported that the officers had demanded the amount to shield him and an associate from legal action in an ongoing investigation at the CID Crime Gandhinagar Zone Police Station.

Constable Desai was caught red-handed accepting the cash near Sargasan, Gandhinagar, while Inspector Patel allegedly orchestrated the deal and provided consent from behind the scenes. The entire bribe amount was recovered during the operation.

Following the filing of the charge sheet, Inspector Patel submitted a regular bail application on February 13, 2026, before the Gandhinagar Sessions Court. The court rejected the plea after hearing arguments. On February 23, 2026, the Trap Case Officer presented an affidavit and made oral submissions.