Surat Municipal Corporation Chief Accountant and Peon Arrested in Bribery Scandal

Surat : The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has been thrust into the spotlight for alleged corrupt practices within its ranks, with municipal officers reportedly soliciting bribe money from the public and contractors to facilitate their work.

One such incident emerged when the chief accountant of SMC and his peon were apprehended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) during a covert operation, caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 2.50 lakh from a contractor.

Tejas Prakashchandra Aariwala, the chief accountant of the Surat Municipal Corporation, and his peon Bhikhu Patel were intercepted by ACB officers during an operation at the SMC headquarters in Mughalsarai, Surat, on Tuesday.

Reports suggest that the contractor, who had applied to retrieve the security deposit for a contracted job, was coerced by the accused to pay Rs 2.50 lakhs for expediting the approval of the sanctioned amount. Sensing foul play, the contractor alerted the ACB, triggering a meticulously planned trap.

The contractor, acting in cooperation with the ACB, engaged with the peon to hand over the bribe at a pre-designated location. Subsequently, the complainant ensured a conversation between the peon and the chief accountant, Tejash Aariwala, over the phone, as confirmation of the illicit transaction.

ACB operatives swiftly moved in and conducted a raid at the SMC headquarters in Mughalsarai, leading to the arrest of the chief accountant implicated in the bribery scandal.

This incident has cast a shadow on the integrity of SMC officials and raised concerns about systemic corruption within the municipal body, prompting calls for stringent measures to curb such malpractices and ensure transparent governance.