In Gujarat, dy mamlatdar held in PMLA case; collector booked, shifted

Searches by the ED have recovered Rs 67.50 lakh in cash from the residential premises of Mori, who will be investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to find the source of this money, top government sources told The Indian Express.

According to the sources, the ED had placed Rajendrakumar Patel, an IAS officer of the 2015 batch posted in Surendranagar since February, “under watch”, after a complaint was registered by a private individual, who  alleged that a bribe was demanded from him in lieu of converting a piece of agricultural land to Non-Agricultural (NA).

Gujarat  ACB sources told The Indian Express that Collector Patel, his personal assistant Jayrajsinh Jhala, a clerk in the collector’s office Mayursinh Gohil and Dy Mamlatdar Mori, have been booked under section 13 (criminal misconduct by a public servant) of the  Prevention of Corruption Act, on the basis of a complaint by an ED officer.

Meanwhile, after his arrest, Mori was on Wednesday produced before a special PMLA Court in Ahmedabad that sent him to ED custody till January 1, 2026.

As per the details available, the ED officials – in connection with another case registered by it – carried out a search and seizure operation at Mori’s residences on Tuesday evening.

In its application seeking Mori’s custody for 14 days, the ED said, “…during investigation under the provisions of PMLA, 2002, it has been revealed that large-scale corruption and generation of proceeds of crime through systematic extortion, demand and collection of illegal gratification by public servants in the Office of the District Collector, Surendranagar, Gujarat in connection with grant and processing of applications for CLU (Change of Land Use) and related statutory permissions under the Saurashtra Gharkhed Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands Ordinance, 1949.”

It said Mori was entrusted with title verification and processing applications related to the ordinance. It said bribes were systematically demanded and collected as “speed money” for processing applications without delay. Also, it stated, the bribe amount was pre-fixed, calculated on a per-square metre basis depending on the nature of application and that payments were routed through identified intermediaries/commission agents/dalals (middlemen), whose names, roles and contact details were recorded by ‘him (Mori)’.

As per the ED, during search proceedings, it recovered and seized Rs 67.50 lakh from Mori’s residence.

It added that Mori has categorically admitted in his statement under the provisions of PMLA 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 applications.”

It also said that Mori “generated, acquired, possessed and concealed” proceeds of crime in excess of Rs 1 crore.

“The analysis of the material gathered and statement recorded under Section 17 of PMLA clearly points out that he (Mori) is guilty of the offence of money laundering,” the application read.

During the proceedings of the application, the ED was represented by Special Public Prosecutors R K Kanani and Anirudh Kamboj. Whereas, Mori was represented by Nitin Gandhi.

Mori’s lawyer Nitin Gandhi said that mainly the ED demanded Mori’s custody for 14 days to probe the source of money recovered and involvement of other accomplices.