ACB arrest education officer for accepting Rs 5,000 bribe

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“Sakariya’s wife Hemlata is working as teacher at Kendravarti School (a pay-centre school) in Jesar. She is fixed salaried teacher and therefore cannot be made in-charge principal of the school according state government rules. However, Solanki told her that he would make her in-charge principal and demanded Rs 5,000 bribe from her if she wanted to avoid getting the extra responsibility,” Bhavnagar ACB police inspector Yunis Makwa said.

Hemlata told his husband Bhagirathraj, who is also a teacher at a government primary school in Junagadh district, about the demand of bribe by the TPEO. But instead of acceding to the demand of bribe, Sakariya filed a complaint against Solanki with ACB on Tuesday.

“The TPEO office functions out of the building of Kendravarti School and therefore Solanki knew teachers of the school. Though there are two other teachers senior to Hemlata, Solanki said he would make her in-charge principal,” said Makwa.

District primary education officer Vajshi Varu said he will look into the matter. “Solanki is an education inspector and his regular posting is in Palitana taluka of Bhavnagar. However, after creation of Jesar taluka last year, he was given charge of Jesar TPEO. The Kendravarti School does not have a regular principal. I shall inquire on what basis was he telling the teacher that she would be made in-charge principal,” said Varu.

Incidentally, ACB had arrested an assitant bus-inspector and a head constable of Khuntavada police station in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar for allegedly taking Rs2,000 bribe from a man on Tuesday. The two policemen were produced in a local court on Wednesday and they were sent to judicial custody.