Gujarat ACB forms SIT to probe Surendranagar bribery case involving IAS officer Rajendra Patel, 3 others

Gujarat ACB forms six member SIT to probe alleged corruption in Surendranagar Collectorate CLU applications involving senior officials. (Representational/File)

The Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegedly large scale corruption in the Surendranagar District Collectorate in Change of Land Use (CLU) applications, that has already led to the Enforcement Directorate arresting the former Collector Rajendrakumar Mahendra Patel and Deputy Mamlatdar Chandrasinh Mori.

The ACB in a statement on Monday said it had on December 23, 2025, in an FIR at Surendranagar ACB police station, booked four officers including Deputy Mamlatdar and Executive Magistrate Chandrasinh Bhupatsinh Mori (Class-3), Collector Rajendrakumar Mahendra Patel (Class-1), Clerk Mayur Gohil (Class-3), and PA to Collector Jayrajsinh Vala (Class-3), under sections 12, 13(1)(b), and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Following this, ACB Director Piyush Patel on Monday formed an SIT under the supervision of Additional Director Bipin Ahire, who will investigate the allegations of bribery and disproportionate assets against the accused.

The six members of the SIT include Deputy Director (Admin) Bharti J Pandya, KH Gohil who is in-charge Assistant Director (Rajkot), RB Desai who is Assistant Director (HQ), ACB Inspector DN Patel of Ahmedabad, ACB Inspector MD Patel of Surendranagar, and ACB Inspector PA Dekavadiya of Morbi.

This is the first action taken by the Gujarat ACB after filing the FIR on December 23, 2025. Meanwhile, the ED has, since then, arrested Chandrasinh Mori, received seven days’ remand and sent him back to judicial custody on January 7. The ED then, also arrested Rajendrakumar Patel and received five-days’ remand from the court.

Notably, an order by the General Administration Department (GAD) of Gujarat on January 4, 2026, stated that 2015-batch IAS officer Rajendrakumar Mahendra Patel was “deemed to have been placed under suspension” under sub rule 3 of rule 2 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, from January 2, 2026.

This order followed the former Surendranagar Collector’s arrest by the ED and subsequent five-day remand granted by the Special PMLA court of Ahmedabad (Rural), on January 2. The suspension order was effected as his remand order by the court exceeded 48 hours.

On the same day as the FIR by Surendranagar ACB police station, since the sections mentioned in the FIR also constitute scheduled offences under section 2(1)(y) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) 43/2025 on the same day, and began its investigation against Patel and others.

Patel had on December 24, 2025, been transferred out of Surendranagar and placed his services at the disposal of the General Administration Department (GAD) until further orders.

He had been serving as Collector of Surendranagar since February 1, 2025, before which, he was Deputy Municipal Commissioner in Surat City.