A special court in Ahmedabad dealing with money laundering cases has ordered the custodial interrogation of a Gujarat revenue official by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) until the first day of the new year. The case involves serious allegations of corruption, extortion, and bribery linked to the granting of permissions for change of land use (CLU).
Official Remanded After Cash Seizure at Residence
Chandrasinh Mori, who served as the deputy mamlatdar and executive magistrate in Surendranagar, was presented before special judge K M Sojitra early on Wednesday. The ED sought a 14-day remand for detailed questioning. The court, however, granted custody until January 1.
The action followed coordinated moves by the ED and the state's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which filed separate complaints against Mori on Tuesday. During a search operation at his residence, ED officials made a significant discovery: Rs 67.50 lakh in cash was found concealed in his bedroom.
Systematic "Speed Money" Racket Uncovered
In its remand report submitted through advocate Anirudh Kamboj, the federal agency outlined a deeply entrenched corruption scheme. The probe indicates widespread corruption and generation of proceeds of crime through systematic extortion within the Surendranagar district collector's office.
The corruption was specifically tied to processing applications for CLU and related permissions under the Saurashtra Gharkhed Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands Ordinance. As deputy mamlatdar, Mori held the power to verify and process these CLU applications.
The ED alleged a well-oiled system where bribes, euphemistically called "speedy money," were systematically demanded to process files without delay. The agency claimed the bribe amounts were pre-fixed and calculated on a per-square-metre basis, depending on the nature of the application. Payments were allegedly routed through a network of intermediaries, commission agents, or 'dalals,' whose names and roles were reportedly recorded by the accused official.
Key Accused and Ongoing Investigation
The ED has identified Mori as a "key person" and "pivot" in the decision-making process and asserted he had knowledge of properties acquired using the bribe money. The agency informed the court that its investigation suggests Mori amassed illegal wealth exceeding Rs 1 crore.
During the remand period, investigators aim to uncover the source of the seized cash and locate other hidden proceeds of crime. A major focus will also be to identify other individuals involved in the alleged racket.
The hearing saw legal arguments from both sides. Mori was represented by a legal aid advocate initially, but later, his own lawyer, Nitin Gandhi, presented arguments opposing the remand plea. Gandhi contended that the ED sought custody without utilizing the initial 24-hour period for questioning. He also raised procedural concerns, alleging that no search warrant was shown during the raid at Mori's house and that the related 'panchnamas' lacked crucial case details.
Despite these objections, the special court found sufficient grounds to grant the ED's request for custodial interrogation, paving the way for a deeper probe into this case of alleged corruption in land governance.
