Guj: Surendranagar collector transferred after ED arrests junior official for alleged money laundering

Ahmedabad, Dec 24 (PTI) The Gujarat government transferred Surendranagar district collector Rajendrakumar Patel without posting on Wednesday, following the arrest of a junior official posted in his office by the Enforcement Directorate in a bribery-linked money laundering case.

Patel has been transferred from the post of Surendranagar district collector, and his services are "placed at the disposal of GAD until further orders,” according to a notification issued by the General Administration Department (GAD). District Development Officer KS Yagnik will hold the additional charge of Collector until further orders, it said.

The order was issued a day after the ED conducted searches and arrested deputy mamlatdar (revenue officer) Chandrasinh Mori, posted at the Surendranagar district collector's office, after recovering Rs 67.50 lakh from his home.

The ED searched Mori’s residence in Surendranagar on Tuesday in a bribery-linked money laundering case. He was produced before a special PMLA court here on Wednesday, which remanded him in ED custody till January 1.

The ED claimed Mori admitted that "the seized cash represents bribe money demanded and collected by him, directly and through intermediaries, from applicants seeking expedited or favourable processing of statutory land-use application".

The ED is investigating alleged money laundering involving Mori and others, following the registration of an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The remand application also stated that the Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau had also registered a separate FIR against Mori and others.

The investigation revealed a "large-scale corruption and generation of proceeds of crime through systematic extortion, demand, and collection of illegal gratification by public servants in Surendranagar collector's office, " the remand application stated.

As deputy mamlatdar, Mori was entrusted with the title verification and processing of CLU (change of land use) applications under the "Saurashtra Gharkhed Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands Ordinance, 1949".

Mori allegedly misused his position and collected bribes from applicants for speedy approval of applications. The bribe amount was calculated on a square metre basis, the ED added. PTI PJT PD NSK