Gujarat government ‘s joint secretary GAD K. Rajesh has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday late evening in an alleged bribery case of illegally issuing arms licenses.
According to sources, the Central investigation agency had summoned K. Rajesh for questioning and “failing to co-operate” has been cured as a reason for his arrest.
The 2011 batch IAS officer, K Rajesh was District Collector Surendranagar when he allegedly issued licenses for arms to ineligible people after accepting bribes. K Rajesh has also been alleged to have alloted government land to ineligible beneficiaries along with issuing NOC for land in exchange of bribes, the FIR filed by the CBI states.
According to the sources, K Rajesh would be produced in a special CBI court today on Thursday and he is likely to be taken to Delhi on a transit warrant.
Notably, his associate Rafiq Memon was arrested by the CBI around two months back on May 19. Memon used to work as a conduit ,an agent for Rajesh in financial irregularities and the bribe money for granting arms were allegedly transferred to his bank account. Rafiq Memon was primarily a cloth merchant in Surat.
Further investigation had revealed that during April 2018 to May 2021, around 101 illegal lisence were issued by K Rajesh in exchange of bribe.
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.
