Digital Bribe: QR Code Cracks Open Corruption Case in Gujarat

A Gujarat government employee was arrested for allegedly accepting a Rs 1500 bribe via a digital payment app. The employee sent a GPay QR code for the payment, leading to his arrest by the Anti-Corruption Bureau after a trap was set at his office.

A Gujarat government official found himself in handcuffs on Monday after allegedly soliciting and receiving a bribe of Rs 1500 through a digital payment platform. An Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) spokesperson confirmed the arrest.

According to ACB inspector RR Solanki, the accused, Jaydip Chavda, ingeniously sent a QR code from his GPay app to the complainant, instructing him to transfer the money electronically instead of accepting cash in person. Chavda, a Class-3 employee, serves as the village panchayat secretary in Parab Vavdi village.

The bribe was reportedly linked to a marriage registration process, where the complainant's brother required a memorandum to avail of financial assistance under a government scheme. Acting on a complaint, Solanki and his team laid a successful trap and apprehended Chavda red-handed at his office.

(With inputs from agencies.)