The head of the education committee in the BJP-run Tapi district panchayat was on Friday arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) over bribe charges. Saritaben Vasava, the accused, was caught taking a bribe from the complainant who runs a non-profit, officials said. She was suspended by the BJP on Saturday. The non-profit imparts self-defense training to girl students at secondary and higher secondary government schools in the district. For training students in 57 schools, the non-profit had secured an amount of Rs 6.84 lakh from the government, as per officials. According to people familiar with the matter, Sarita Vasava allegedly demanded 5 per cent of Rs. 6.84 lakh. When the complainant refused, the accused resorted to mental harassment, as per officials. The complainant then approached officials of ACB's Surat unit. A complaint was filed Thursday evening. On Friday, the accused was caught taking a bribe of Rs. 34,200, officials said. She was arrested Friday night under the Prevention of Corruption Act sections 7, 13(1), 13 (B). Talking to the Indian Express, Tapi ACB police inspector Surbhiben Chaudhary said, "Saritaben had demanded and accepted a bribe of Rs. 34,200 from the complainant on Friday. The accused was produced before the Tapi District Sessions Court and was sent to judicial custody at Vyara Sub-Jail. We are carrying out further investigation.” On the suspension, Tapi district BJP president Jayram Gamit said, “We have learnt about the arrest of Saritaben Vasava. After taking consent from the party higher-ups, we suspended her from the party on Saturday. She was elected for the second time in the 2021 Tapi district Panchayat from Borda seat in Songadh taluka and was made chairman of the education committee. Her term of 2.5 years as chairman was due to end in August. She got elected twice from the Borda seat in Tapi district panchayat elections."
