Gujarat ACB trap: Man held for ₹2 lakh bribe, ₹49 lakh cash seized from car
Synopsis
A Gujarat ACB sting in Anand caught a man allegedly accepting a ₹2 lakh bribe to unfreeze a bank account — but the bigger story is what was in his car: ₹49 lakh in cash, classified as 'suspicious'. With a police sub-inspector named as a co-accused still at large, the case could unravel a wider corruption network inside the SOG.
Key Takeaways
Dilipbhai alias Dipubhai Patel was arrested on 29 October 2026 during an ACB trap in Anand district, Gujarat .
He was allegedly caught accepting a bribe of ₹2 lakh to unfreeze a bank account and prevent the complainant's arrest.
A search of his Maruti Suzuki Ciaz yielded ₹49 lakh in cash, flagged as 'suspicious' by the ACB.
Second accused V N Rathod , a Police Sub-Inspector with the SOG, was not present and remains under investigation.
The operation was led by D N Patel , Police Inspector, ACB Field-1 unit, Ahmedabad.
A man was arrested on 29 October 2026 after being caught allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹2 lakh during an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) trap in Anand district, Gujarat. A subsequent search of his vehicle yielded ₹49 lakh in cash, which the ACB has classified as 'suspicious' — raising questions about the full scale of the alleged corrupt network.
How the Trap Was Executed
The operation was laid outside the Special Operations Group (SOG) office in Anand, near its entrance. According to the ACB, the accused, Dilipbhai alias Dipubhai Patel, was allegedly accepting the money on behalf of a demand linked to an investigation being conducted by the SOG in the district. Officials stated that 'the bribe transaction took place inside a Maruti Suzuki Ciaz car in Patel's possession.' The ACB team recovered the full demanded amount of ₹2 lakh during the sting.
The operation was led by D N Patel, Police Inspector with the ACB's Field-1 unit in Ahmedabad, along with other ACB personnel.
What the Bribe Was For
According to the ACB, the two accused had allegedly demanded ₹2 lakh from a complainant to secure the unfreezing of a bank account frozen during an investigation into a case registered at Anand Town police station. The money was also allegedly sought to ensure the complainant would not be arrested in connection with that case. Unwilling to comply, the complainant — described by the ACB as a 'vigilant citizen' — approached the bureau and filed a formal complaint, triggering the trap.
Second Accused Remains at Large
A second accused, V N Rathod, a Police Sub-Inspector with the SOG, was not present at the location when the trap was executed. The ACB's preliminary account identifies both Rathod and Patel as the accused in the alleged bribe demand. While Patel was apprehended, Rathod's whereabouts at the time of the operation remain under investigation.
The ₹49 Lakh Discovery
During a search of Patel's vehicle in the presence of panch witnesses, ACB personnel found ₹49 lakh in cash — a sum far exceeding the demanded bribe. The agency has classified the amount as 'suspicious' and said further investigation into its source and circumstances is underway. The scale of the cash find has broadened the scope of the probe beyond the initial bribery allegation.
Investigation Status
Further investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged bribe demand, the source of the recovered cash, and the role of the absconding accused Rathod. The case underscores a pattern of ACB activity in Gujarat targeting officials who allegedly exploit frozen-account cases to extract payments from citizens.
Point of View
On its own, explain why nearly 25 times that sum was sitting in the same car. The ACB's 'suspicious cash' tag is deliberately cautious, but investigators will now have to trace the money's origin — and that trail may lead well beyond Patel. The fact that a serving SOG sub-inspector is named as a co-accused, yet was absent from the scene, raises procedural questions: was the trap compromised, or was Rathod tipped off? Gujarat's ACB has been active in targeting SOG-linked extortion in recent months, and this case tests how far that accountability extends up the rank structure.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested in the Gujarat ACB bribery trap on 29 October 2026?
Dilipbhai alias Dipubhai Patel was arrested after being allegedly caught accepting a bribe of ₹2 lakh during an ACB trap outside the SOG office in Anand district on 29 October 2026. A second accused, SOG sub-inspector V N Rathod, was not present at the time and remains under investigation.
Why was the bribe allegedly demanded?
According to the ACB, the accused allegedly demanded ₹2 lakh from the complainant to unfreeze a bank account frozen during an ongoing investigation at Anand Town police station, and to ensure the complainant was not arrested in that case.
What is significant about the ₹49 lakh found in the car?
The ₹49 lakh in cash found in Patel's Maruti Suzuki Ciaz far exceeds the ₹2 lakh bribe amount, and the ACB has classified it as 'suspicious'. Investigators are now working to determine its source and whether it points to a broader pattern of corruption.
Who is V N Rathod and what is his role in the case?
V N Rathod is a Police Sub-Inspector with the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Anand. The ACB has named him as a co-accused in the alleged bribe demand, but he was not at the location when the trap was executed. His whereabouts and role are being investigated.
Which agency conducted the operation and who led it?
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted the operation. It was led by D N Patel, Police Inspector with the ACB's Field-1 unit in Ahmedabad, supported by other ACB personnel.
