The CBI on Thursday filed a charge sheet against the then collector of Surendranagar district and a proprietor of a private firm K. Rajesh in an ongoing investigation in a case related to arms license bribery.
The central agency had registered a case against 2011 batch IAS officer and unknown persons on the allegation of demand and receipt of bribe related to grant of arms licenses, allotment of Government land, and regularisation of encroached government land in the name of ineligible beneficiaries. The Gujarat Government had earlier demanded an inquiry into the matter. The case is an outcome of the same.
Earlier in the case, the central agency had conducted search and seizure operations at the premises of K. Rajesh in Gandhinagar, Surat, and Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh during which several incriminating documents and digital evidence were recovered.
Timeline of the case:
Brief timeline of the Case:
January 2021: A business man from Ahmedabad filed complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bereau (ACB) after the then Collector of Surendranagar district K Rajesh reportedly sought Rs 5 lakhs as bribe for granting him a licence for a weapon.
February 2021: Two more complaints filed against him with the ACB. Two people from Saurashtra allegedly said that the officer asked for Rs 32 lakhs in cash and Rs 5 lakhs in cheque for the issuing a lisence.
March 2021: A farmer from Saurashtra alleged Rajesh of asking for three litres of massage oil and Rs 5 lakhs for the same purpose as above and he filed a plaint against the officer with ACB.
March 2021: High-level inquiry held against K Rajesh along with the on-going ACB inquiry.
June 2021: Corruption charges were leveled against K Rajesh and he was transferred under the state home department as the Joint Secretary of law and order department.
June 2021: A week after his tranfer, the officer was transferred to the GAD department.
May 18, 2022: Complain filed with the CBI for irregularities in issuing arms lisence illegally.
May 19, 2022: Rafiq Memon was taken into custody.
July 13: CBI summons K Rajesh for questioning in Gandhinagar. He fails to co-operate and the Central investigation agency arrests the officer.
July 14: CBI arrested K Rajesh
Also Read: CBI Arrests Gujarat Cadre IAS Officer K Rajesh; Here Is All You Need To Know
