Talati-cum-mantri, VCE caught accepting ₹6,000 bribe in ACB trap in Anand

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday caught a Talati-cum-Mantri and a Village Computer Entrepreneur (VCE) of Piplai Gram Panchayat in Anand district while allegedly accepting a ₹6,000 bribe. The accused have been identified as Kaivan Bipinbhai Shah, Talati-cum-Mantri, and Shailesh Rambhai Makwana, who worked as the VCE at the same gram panchayat.

According to the ACB, the complainant needed a pedhinama (inheritance certificate) to get his and his siblings’ names added to the records of their ancestral agricultural land. The two accused allegedly demanded ₹10,000 to prepare the document. After discussions, they reportedly agreed to reduce the amount to ₹8,000.

The complainant did not want to pay the bribe and instead contacted the ACB through its toll-free helpline 1064. Based on the complaint, the ACB planned a trap operation at the Piplai Gram Panchayat office in Khambhat taluka on June 24, 2026.

During the operation, the accused allegedly spoke to the complainant about the bribe amount. According to investigators, Shailesh Makwana accepted ₹8,000 on the instructions of Kaivan Shah. He later returned ₹2,000 to the complainant, while the remaining ₹6,000 was allegedly taken as the bribe.

The ACB team immediately caught both accused and recovered the tainted ₹6,000. Investigators said the Talati-cum-Mantri misused his position as a public servant and, along with the VCE, accepted illegal money for carrying out official work.

The trap was carried out by Police Inspector R.N. Virani and his team from the Anand ACB Police Station under the supervision of senior ACB officials. Further investigation into the case is underway.