Surat AAP Councillor arrested for ₹10 Lakh Bribe

Surat : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Surat has apprehended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Vipul Suhagiya for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹10 lakh from a contractor associated with the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The bribe was related to the multi-level pay-and-park facility located on the outskirts of Magob village. Another AAP councillor involved in the case, Jitendra Kachadiya, managed to escape, and efforts are underway to apprehend him.

The incident came to light when the contractor, who was responsible for managing the multi-level pay-and-park facility, reported the bribe demand to the ACB. According to the police, both Surat AAP councillors had visited the pay-and-park facility and accused the contractor of illegally occupying a portion of land designated for a vegetable market. They threatened to cancel the contract and initiate legal action unless the contractor paid them ₹10 lakh.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) RR Chaudhary, who is leading the investigation, confirmed that the ACB had collected substantial evidence against the councillors. “The investigation, spearheaded by Police Inspector Kalpesh Dhaduke, has revealed that the accused demanded the bribe under the pretext of resolving the alleged illegal occupation issue,” Chaudhary stated.

The contractor, unwilling to comply with the illegal demand, recorded the conversations with the councillors as evidence. In these conversations, the councillors allegedly referred to the bribe money as a “document,” a code word used to conceal their illicit activities. The contractor then approached the ACB with a CD containing the recorded conversations.

Upon receiving the complaint, the ACB conducted a preliminary investigation, which included verifying the authenticity of the recorded conversations. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) was brought in to analyze the recordings. The FSL confirmed that the voices in the recordings belonged to the accused councillors and the complainant, thereby corroborating the contractor’s allegations.

Following this confirmation, the ACB laid a trap to catch the councillors in the act. On Tuesday, they arrested Vipul Suhagiya while he was allegedly in the process of finalizing the bribe deal. However, his accomplice, Jitendra Kachadiya, managed to flee the city before the arrest could be made. The ACB has launched a manhunt to locate and apprehend Kachadiya.

Both councillors have been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, a serious offense that could result in substantial legal consequences. The ACB’s swift action in this case has been lauded by local residents and political observers, who see it as a strong message against corruption in public office.

The multi-level pay-and-park facility at the center of this controversy is located on the final plot number 88 in the Town Planning scheme 53, adjacent to a vegetable market space allotted by the Municipal Corporation. The SMC had granted the contractor the rights to manage the facility, but the councillors exploited the situation to extort money.

The ACB is now focused on capturing the absconding councillor, Jitendra Kachadiya, and ensuring that both individuals face the full extent of the law. The case has sparked a wider discussion about corruption within the ranks of the Aam Aadmi Party, particularly in local governance.