Overview
- Rajendrakumar Patel was arrested in Gandhinagar and remanded by a Special PMLA court in Ahmedabad to ED custody until January 7.
- The ED’s remand note alleges bribes were fixed at ₹5–₹10 per sq m for change-of-land-use approvals, with records kept in 'hisaab' sheets by Patel’s personal assistant.
- Investigators say more than 800 applications were traced in the alleged scheme and that Patel received half of the collections as the final approving authority.
- The Gujarat ACB registered an FIR against Patel, his PA Jayrajsinh Jhala, clerk Mayursinh Gohil, and deputy mamlatdar Chandrasinh Mori on an ED complaint.
- Earlier searches recovered ₹67.5 lakh from Mori’s home; the ED says he admitted it was bribe money, while Patel’s defense contests the arrest and says there is no unbroken money trail.