The Panchmahal Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a man on Friday for allegedly attempting to bribe the Presiding Officer of the labour court in Godhra. The accused, identified as Bapu Solanki, reportedly handed over a sealed envelope containing Rs 35,000 in cash, intending to influence the scheduling of his case.
According to officials, Solanki visited the Panchmahal labour court, housed in the District Collectorate building, with the aim of ensuring his case was listed for a hearing on December 12. Solanki, a resident of Sardaiya village in Virpur taluka, Mahisagar district, approached the Presiding Officer with the envelope, but the judge declined to accept it. Instead, the judge requested that the contents be revealed in open court, where Rs 35,000 in cash was discovered.
The judge immediately alerted the ACB and filed a formal complaint. Solanki was subsequently arrested. During questioning, he allegedly admitted that his intention was to expedite the scheduling of his case, which concerns his dismissal from employment in the Bhadar Canal Department of the Panam Dam project several years ago.
ACB Inspector RB Prajapati stated that steps are being taken to secure CCTV footage from the labour court and appoint two independent government witnesses to seize the cash as evidence. The investigation into the bribery attempt is ongoing.
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