Gujarat: ACB nabs head constable in Kandla bribery case

Kutch, Aug 21 (IANS) Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday arrested a head constable of the Customs Department at the Kandla Special Economic Zone for allegedly accepting a bribe.

An official identified the accused as Ishaq Abdulkarim Sama, adding that he was arrested red-handed while accepting a complainant's illegal Rs 3,000 bribe.

“The complainant, a vigilant citizen working in the labour management for a private company in Kandla, reported that Sama demanded the bribe to allow the company's workers to enter and exit through the Kandla Special Economic Zone gate without any harassment,” the official said.

He said that the complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, reached out to the ACB in Gandhidham.

“Acting on the complaint, ACB officials set up a trap at the Old Gate entrance of the Kandla Special Economic Zone. During the operation, Sama was caught accepting the bribe and misusing his official position as a public servant,” the official said.

He added that the operation was led by Police Inspector T.H. Patel of the Gandhidham ACB Police Station, under the supervision of Assistant Director K.H. Gohil from the Border Division in Bhuj.

“The 3,000 bribe money was recovered on the spot, and the accused has been taken into custody for further investigation,” he said.

In 2022, Gujarat's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), in collaboration with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), seized approximately 260 kg of heroin valued at Rs 1,500 crore at Kandla Port in the Kutch district of Gujarat.

The operation was conducted following specific intelligence received by the ATS, which was then shared with the DRI, leading to the interception of the consignment.

Since then, the Kandla Port in Gujarat has been infamous for drug smuggling.