Ahmedabad, August 8: A local court has remanded Amit Dongre, the former probationary chief fire officer of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), and his accomplice, Bhavsinh Jhala, until August 12. They are accused of soliciting a bribe of ₹36,000 in exchange for approving fire No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
Dongre and Jhala will remain in custody until 5 PM on August 12. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested the duo on August 7 during a sting operation.
According to the ACB, the bribe was sought for issuing fire NOCs for six different buildings in Ahmedabad. They allegedly demanded ₹6,000 for each NOC, totaling ₹36,000.
The complainant, a fire safety officer providing fire safety services in Ahmedabad, reported the bribery attempt to the ACB after the demand was made. Following this, the ACB set up a trap near the Yash Equa Complex at Vijay Cross Roads in the Memnagar area of Ahmedabad, with two government witnesses present.
During the operation, Jhala reportedly engaged in conversation with the complainant and accepted the bribe of ₹36,000. The ACB apprehended him red-handed and recovered the entire amount.
The agency also claims that during the sting, Jhala communicated with Dongre over the phone, during which Dongre allegedly agreed to the bribe amount.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Jhala demanded and accepted the bribe at Dongre’s behest. Both accused are believed to have collaborated in committing the alleged crime.
In response to the ACB’s actions, the AMC has terminated Dongre’s appointment with immediate effect. He was serving as the probationary chief fire officer in the municipal fire and emergency services department.
Officials stated that records of all NOCs issued on the AMC’s fire service portal are available. The investigation will also scrutinize both accused’s bank accounts, financial transactions, and communications.
The ACB indicates that further inquiries may reveal the accused’s roles and broader aspects of the case.
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