Gujarat : Sarpanch Caught Red-Handed Accepting 5K Bribe

Valsad : Shilpa Patel, the 36-year-old sarpanch of Nani Tambadi village panchayat in Vapi taluka of Valsad district, was apprehended red-handed during a raid conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 on Friday.

Official sources revealed that Shilpa Patel, also known as Sevantaben Patel, had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a complainant. The bribe was solicited in exchange for issuing a village panchayat certificate, which the complainant required to secure a small business loan for initiating a saree business within the village.

The complainant stated that the woman sarpanch visited his saree shop and took away two saris free-of-cost and then demanded the bribe of Rs 5,000.

The aggrieved complainant, unwilling to succumb to corrupt practices, promptly filed a complaint with the ACB unit of Valsad and Dang, exposing the alleged misdeeds of the Nani Tambadi village sarpanch.

Responding swiftly to the complaint, the Anti-Corruption Bureau initiated a meticulously planned trap operation. During the operation, Shilpa Patel was apprehended at the village panchayat office with incriminating evidence in the form of marked currency notes amounting to Rs 5,000.

The ACB’s prompt and successful action has sent shockwaves through the local community and serves as a stern warning to any individuals involved in corrupt practices. The arrest of a village sarpanch on charges of bribery underscores the commitment of law enforcement agencies to root out corruption at all levels of governance.