Animal Inspector Caught Accepting Bribe of ₹22,000 in Gandhinagar
A 22-year-old animal inspector in Gandhinagar was arrested for accepting a bribe of ₹22,000 from a livestock businessman.
Gandhinagar, October 31 (Daily Kiran) : A 22-year-old animal inspector employed by the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation was arrested on Friday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for accepting a bribe of ₹22,000 from a livestock businessman. The suspect, identified as Jaydeep Singh Rajput, worked in the Animal Control Department (CNC) and was part of a team responsible for capturing stray animals.
Rajput was hired through an outsourcing agency. According to the ACB, he initially demanded ₹40,000 from the complainant to avoid seizing his livestock and to refrain from filing a case against him. The amount was allegedly referred to as a “Diwali installment.”
After negotiations, Rajput reduced his demand to ₹22,000. The complainant, refusing to pay the bribe, contacted the Gandhinagar ACB and filed a complaint, prompting the authorities to set up a sting operation.
This operation took place on October 30, behind a garden near Sector 28 in Gandhinagar. During the operation, Rajput was reportedly caught accepting the ₹22,000 from the complainant. The ACB team apprehended him red-handed, recovering the entire amount.
Inspector M.M. Solanki of the Gandhinagar ACB police station led the sting operation. This incident is reminiscent of a similar case from August 2022, when two outsourced employees from the municipal animal-catching team were arrested for allegedly accepting ₹15,000 in bribes from a livestock businessman in exchange for not capturing his stray animals.
In that earlier case, Manoj alias Bablu Shanaji Thakor and Banti Jayantibhai Vaghela reportedly demanded the bribe, which was divided among five individuals at ₹5,000 each. The ACB has filed a case against both parties under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
