The CBI has registered a case against former Collector of Surendranagar district of Gujarat, Kankipati Rajesh (2011-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre), and others in a bribery case involving grant of arms licence, and conducted searches at the premises of the accused persons.
Besides Rajesh, the agency has also booked proprietor of Jeans Corner, Surat, Md. Rafiq Menon, who was arrested after the searches. Menon allegedly acted as a middleman in the bribery episodes.
“The case has been registered on the allegations of demand and receipt of illegal gratification/bribe related to grant of arm licences, allotment of Government land and regularization of encroached Government land in the name of ineligible beneficiaries,” the CBI said in a statement.
A Preliminary Enquiry (PE) was earlier registered on a request from the Gujarat Government in the matter. The Regular Case is an outcome of the PE that pointed to prima facie culpability of the accused IAS officers and others in the bribery allegations, officials said.
Searches were conducted at the premises of accused officer in Gandhi Nagar and that of the private person in Surat besides Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh) which led to recovery of several incriminating documentary and digital evidence, the CBI further said.
Memon, who acted as the IAS officer’s middleman and allegedly used to collect bribe money for him. He was arrested from Surat after the searches. Rajesh is presently serving as the Joint Secretary in the General Administration Department of the Gujarat Government in Gandhinagar.
The IAS officer is facing allegations of sanctioning arms licenses to ineligible persons during his stint as Collector of Surendranagar as also regularising encroached government land and allotting land to ineligible beneficiaries, officials said.Menon will be produced before the Special Court, CBI Cases, Ahmedabad for further action.