A Class-II officer from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, was apprehended by the Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 4.52 lakh. The accused, identified as Vijaykumar Meena, held the position of Assistant Engineer in the CPWD’s Electrical Branch. The arrest followed a complaint regarding demands for bribes to expedite pending bills related to electrical works.
The bribe amount was requested in connection with contracts for electrical installations at a pharmaceutical research center near Lakhabavad village in Jamnagar district. These installations were part of a project jointly undertaken by Gujarat Ayurved University and the World Health Organization, as well as at the BSF Marine Training Centre in Mojap village of Dwarka taluka in Devbhumi Dwarka district. The accused officer allegedly demanded Rs 4.52 lakh to facilitate the bill processing.
The ACB, acting on the complaint, set up a trap at the CPWD office situated within the Gujarat Ayurved University campus. During the operation, Meena was caught engaging in a conversation with the complainant, reiterating the bribe demand, and accepting the full amount. The entire sum was recovered, and investigators confirmed the bribe receipt over a phone call made by the accused.
An official statement mentioned that the accused was caught red-handed while demanding and receiving the bribe, which was fully retrieved. The ACB operation was conducted jointly by units in Rajkot and Jamnagar, with ongoing investigations into the matter. Similar anti-corruption operations have been carried out by the ACB in various parts of the state in recent times.
