In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday detained thirteen individuals after conducting simultaneous raids across eleven locations in Ajmer district. The operation exposed a well-organized bribery network allegedly involving transport department officers, their staff, and private intermediaries.
Modus Operandi of the Highway Extortion Racket
The ACB action was initiated based on confidential intelligence. It was alleged that staff from the transport department posted in Beawar, Nasirabad, Vijaynagar, Kekri, Kishangarh, and Ajmer had conspired with private touts. Together, they were illegally collecting money ranging from Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 per vehicle from transport operators using state highways.
According to ACB Director General Govind Gupta, the bribes were taken to ensure overloaded vehicles faced no legal action and to guarantee their smooth passage during routine checks. The illicit funds were reportedly channeled through specific highway establishments, including Hotel Shere Punjab in Beawar, Hotel RJ-01 in Nasirabad, and the Jagdamba Tea Stall, also in Nasirabad.
Call-Centre Style Operations & Digital Evidence
Investigators uncovered a sophisticated system run by the touts, which functioned like a call centre using multiple mobile phones. After receiving payments—either in cash or via digital means—from drivers, the touts would allegedly forward the vehicle numbers to transport department flying squads through coded messages. This ensured those vehicles passed through checkpoints without being inspected.
During the verification process, the ACB gathered substantial evidence of the bribe exchanges. This included records from mobile messaging apps, digital payment trails, and details of handovers conducted at hotels and roadside dhabas.
Simultaneous Raids and Major Haul
The raids were executed under the supervision of a team led by DIG Anil Kayal. A total of twelve ACB teams searched premises connected to transport officers, employees, flying squad members, touts, and their associates all at the same time.
The operation led to the recovery of crucial evidence, including:
- Rs 1,16,700 in cash.
- 19 mobile phones used in the racket.
- 4 CCTV DVRs containing potential recordings.
- 12 diaries that allegedly contained transaction details running into lakhs of rupees.
- Digital payment records amounting to thousands of rupees.
Among the thirteen persons detained were a transport inspector, his private assistant, several private touts, dhaba operators, and contract guards. The ACB's decisive action highlights a concerted effort to dismantle organized corruption within the state's transport system.
