The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested the Dovlan Taluka Development Officer (TDO) for accepting a bribe of Rs 12,000 from a contractor to clear his dues of Rs 6 lakh. The contractor had in 2023-24 carried out development works for laying of a water pipeline network and construction of toilet blocks in different villages in Dolvan taluka of Tapi district. The contractor had received a certain amount of money for his work, while Rs 6 lakh stood pending. He had also submitted the bills to the office concerned. A few days ago, when the contractor contacted Dolvan TDO Virendrasinh Dodhiya and requested him to clear his dues, the latter allegedly demanded Rs 12,000 for the same. The contractor contacted the Surat ACB office and lodged a complaint against the TDO. The ACB officials laid a trap at the Dolvan TDO office and caught Dodhiya red-handed, accepting the bribe. He was brought to the Tapi district's Vyara ACB office for further procedures. Dodhiya was arrested under different sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Surat ACB Assistant Director R R Chaudhary said, "We have caught the TDO and are carrying out further procedures. He was deputed as the TDO at Dolvan in 2023."
