Bharuch, August 19: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Gujarat has arrested two officials from the Food and Drug Department for accepting a bribe of ₹40,000. They were caught red-handed while soliciting the bribe for issuing a new wholesale drug license.
The arrested officials have been identified as Prakashbhai Posanani (54) and Surabhi Ben Desai (29). Posanani serves as an Assistant Commissioner (Class-1 officer) in the Food and Drug Department in Bharuch, while Desai holds the position of Drug Inspector and Assistant Commissioner (Class-2 officer).
According to ACB officials, both were apprehended during a trap operation in the Assistant Commissioner’s office at the Food and Drug Control Administration in Bharuch.
The investigation revealed that the complainant had applied for a new wholesale license for drugs. During the application process, Desai allegedly informed the complainant that the license would be issued, but a payment of ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 would be required for the senior official.
Instead of paying the bribe, the complainant filed a complaint at the Narmada ACB police station. Acting on this complaint, the ACB set up a sting operation at the Bharuch office on August 18.
During the operation, both officials allegedly accepted ₹40,000 from the complainant. Following this, the ACB team swiftly intervened, arresting both individuals and recovering the entire bribe amount.
The ACB stated that both officials abused their positions as public servants by engaging in criminal misconduct through bribery.
The trap operation was conducted under the supervision of Police Inspector DD Vasava from the Narmada ACB police station, with oversight from Assistant Director BM Patel of the ACB Vadodara unit. The entire operation was led by Deputy Director Baldev Desai of the ACB Vadodara.
The ACB has confirmed that further legal action is being taken against both accused.
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