Gujarat’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against former Surendranagar district collector Rajendrakumar Patel, his personal assistant Jayrajsinh Jhala, clerk Mayursinh Gohil, and deputy mamlatdar (tehsildar) Chandrasinh Mori, following a money laundering investigation led by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The move comes after the ED allegedly seized ₹67.5 lakh in cash from Mori’s residence and took him into custody.

ACB Director Piyush Patel confirmed the development, stating, “We have booked four persons, including the Surendranagar collector, on the basis of the Enforcement Directorate’s complaint. The investigation is in progress and all aspects are being examined.” He also noted that the ED had already filed an FIR against the same individuals on money laundering charges.

The case has drawn attention to the workings of the district administration, particularly the collectorate, which plays a pivotal role in land conversions, non-agricultural permissions, and other revenue-related approvals. Rajendrakumar Patel, a 2015 batch IAS officer with a postgraduate degree in public policy and a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery, headed the Surendranagar administration and oversaw land-use and other key revenue decisions. Prior to his tenure in Surendranagar, he served in various revenue and district administration roles, handling law and order, land matters, and coordination of government departments.

Details of the Investigation

The ED began investigating Mori earlier this week after the Gujarat ACB registered an FIR against him. During searches at multiple locations associated with the deputy mamlatdar, the federal agency recovered ₹67.5 lakh in cash from his residence, which Mori reportedly could not explain. Following the seizure, Mori was arrested and produced before a special court, which remanded him in ED custody for eight days.

The ED indicated that the cash recovery pointed to a larger network of illegal collections linked to official work at the collectorate, rather than an isolated incident. According to the agency, bribes were allegedly demanded and collected as “speed money” for expediting applications, with amounts pre-determined and calculated on a per-square-metre basis. Payments were reportedly routed through intermediaries, whose details were recorded by the accused.

Investigators further alleged that bribes were also collected for routine work, with officials deliberately delaying the processing of files and then demanding money to expedite them. “Several such files have been recovered from the collectorate and are under examination. At this stage, it is difficult to assess the full scale of the alleged scam,” an ACB official said.

The FIR specifically accuses the public servants of abusing their official positions to obtain illegal gratification connected to their official functions. While the deputy mamlatdar remains under arrest in the ED case, the roles of the other accused are under active investigation by the ACB.

Investigation Scope

Officials have indicated that the probe will examine revenue and land-related files handled by the accused, along with scrutinizing bank accounts, financial transactions, and asset details to trace the alleged money trail. The investigation seeks to determine the extent of the illegal collection network and whether the misconduct was limited to Surendranagar or more widespread across other districts.

Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi commented on the case, alleging that such scams had been ongoing for a long time and were not confined to Surendranagar alone, suggesting that similar irregularities could exist in other districts such as Kutch.

The case has reignited discussions about accountability and transparency in district administration, especially in offices responsible for land and revenue management, and will be closely monitored as the investigation progresses.