Gujarat IAS Arrested in ₹10 Crore PMLA Case—ED Alleges Bribery in Granting Land Approval Forms

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on 2 January 2026, arrested Rajendrakumar Patel, a 2015-batch IAS officer from Gujarat, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case is based on allegations that bribes were systematically demanded and collected to expedite Change of Land Use (CLU) approvals.

The case revolves around a ‘fixed-rate, speed money’ system, allegedly orchestrated by Patel, for granting CLU forms. The ED has cited evidence in the form of accounts, chats, and proceeds of crime amounting to ₹10 crore.

Patel was remanded to judicial custody till 7 January and produced before an Ahmedabad court for allegedly engaging in bribery while posted as Collector of Surendranagar district. He has since been under deemed suspension.

According to submissions by the ED, this follows the earlier arrest of a deputy revenue officer posted in Patel’s office, Chandrasingh Mori, on 23 December 2025. ₹67.50 lakh was recovered from his residence. After Mori’s arrest, Patel was transferred from his position without a new posting before being arrested.

The agency has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) to examine the generation, movement and alleged concealment of proceeds of crime arising from these activities. The Gujarat Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has also filed an FIR against Patel and three others based on a complaint lodged by the central agency, alleging abuse of official position and corruption in the processing of land-related applications.

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‘Fixed-Rate, Speed Money’ CLU System

The ED has alleged that bribes were allegedly charged at rates of ₹5-10 per square metre, depending on the nature of the land and applicable legal provisions, to ensure faster clearance of CLU applications. More than 800 CLU applications have been identified where such payments were allegedly made, generating proceeds of crime exceeding ₹10 crore. Patel, as the district collector at the time, is described by the agency as the “key beneficiary and final decision-maker” in the alleged scheme, given his statutory authority over CLU approvals under the Saurashtra Gharkhed Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands Ordinance, 1949, and the Gujarat Land Revenue Code, 1879.

The ED has cited WhatsApp messages, PDF files and photographs recovered from seized mobile phones, which allegedly show the maintenance of “hisaab” – informal but systematic accounts of bribe collections. These records, the agency claims, were periodically shared with Patel’s personal assistant, Jayrajsinh Zala. Of the total bribe amount allegedly collected, 50% is said to have gone to Patel, 10% to an intermediary, and the remainder distributed among other officials in the collectorate, including a resident additional collector, a revenue officer and a clerk.

The agency has also relied on witness statements. One applicant, Chetan Kanzaria, allegedly told investigators that the prevailing rate for CLU approvals was ₹10 per square metre and claimed to have paid around ₹65 lakh in bribes. Zala allegedly stated that he shared details of collections with the collector and delivered Patel’s share. Mori is said to have corroborated this account.

Describing how the proceeds have been utilised, the ED pointed to a flat purchased in Patel’s name in Ahmedabad, with rental income credited to his mother’s bank account. The agency has also claimed that certain household expenses, including school fees, were not paid directly by Patel, suggesting the use of black money.

The ED argues that prima facie evidence has been established for generation of proceeds of crime – the process of layering, concealment and integration of said funds is yet to be ascertained. The investigation remains ongoing. Suspicions have arisen against other IAS graduates from the 2015 Gujarat batch, many of whom hold top administrative positions in the state. Further scrutiny is expected.

[DS]

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