Ahmedabad, January 4, 2026

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has told a special court that a former district collector in Gujarat allegedly ran a systematic bribery operation by fixing rates for clearing land use change applications on the state government’s online portal. The agency claims that Rajendrakumar Mahendra Patel, a 2015-batch IAS officer and former collector of Surendranagar district, was the main beneficiary of the illegal money generated through this scheme.

According to the ED, Patel, along with deputy mamlatdar Chandrasinh Bhupatsinh Mori and two other staff members, demanded and collected bribes as “speed money” to fast-track applications seeking change of land use from agricultural to non-agricultural purposes. These applications were filed on the Integrated Online Revenue Applications (IORA) portal of the Gujarat Revenue Department.

In its remand application submitted to the court, the ED said Patel would personally download applications from the portal and add internal columns to fix bribe rates. These rates allegedly ranged between Rs 5 and Rs 10 per square metre, depending on the type of application and legal provisions involved. The bribes were collected in cash, and Patel, as the final approving authority, allegedly ensured quick clearances once payments were made.

The agency informed the court that it has traced over 800 such applications, which it believes led to the generation of more than Rs 10 crore in illegal proceeds. This amount, the ED said, is part of a much larger money laundering operation that is still under investigation.

To support its claims, the ED cited the statement of one applicant who allegedly paid Rs 65 lakh in bribes for multiple land use change approvals. The applicant reportedly maintained diary entries describing these payments as “Collector Office Bribe Expense,” which the agency presented as evidence of systematic corruption.

The ED further alleged that searches conducted at Patel’s residence on December 23 revealed several expensive mobile phones, the source of which he could not explain. Investigators also found that an apartment had been purchased in Patel’s name, while rental income from the property was being routed through his mother’s bank account. Additionally, the agency claimed Patel had not paid school fees for his children through formal channels, suspecting that cash payments were made using bribe money.

Patel was arrested by the ED on January 2, 2026, from his residence in Surendranagar and produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ahmedabad (Rural). On Friday, the court granted the ED custody of Patel until January 7. A day earlier, Mori, who had been on a seven-day remand, was sent to judicial custody.

The case stems from a zero FIR registered on December 23, 2025, by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Ahmedabad under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR was later transferred to Surendranagar and marked as a sensitive case. Since the offences listed also fall under the PMLA, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on the same day and launched a parallel probe.

During the investigation, the ED alleged that Mori played a key role in processing land use applications. As deputy mamlatdar and executive magistrate, he was responsible for title verification and handling applications under relevant land laws, which gave him control over the pace and outcome of approvals. The agency claimed bribe amounts were pre-fixed and routed through intermediaries or agents, whose details were recorded.

The ED seized Rs 67.50 lakh in cash from Mori’s residence and stated that he admitted the money was bribe income. Mori allegedly told investigators that half of the collected bribe money went to Patel, with records, or “hisaab,” maintained by the collector’s personal assistant.

While the ED continues to investigate the layering and use of the alleged proceeds of crime, Patel’s defence has strongly contested the arrest. His lawyers argued before the court that the arrest and searches were illegal and that there is no clear money trail linking him directly to the alleged laundering activities. They claimed there was insufficient material to prove his involvement in the predicate offences.

The investigation is ongoing, with the ED stating that it is still identifying properties, financial links, and the roles of other individuals involved in the alleged corruption 

 ED Alleges Former Gujarat Collector Fixed Bribe Rates on Government Portal to Speed Up Land Use Approvals

The Enforcement Directorate has told a special court that a former Gujarat district collector allegedly ran a well-planned bribery system to fast-track land use change approvals. Rajendrakumar Mahendra Patel, a 2015-batch IAS officer and former Surendranagar collector, is accused of fixing bribe rates for applications filed on the state’s Integrated Online Revenue Applications (IORA) portal.

According to the ED, Patel and other revenue officials demanded “speed money” from applicants seeking to convert agricultural land for non-agricultural use. Bribe rates were allegedly pre-fixed at ₹5 to ₹10 per square metre, depending on the nature of the case. Investigators claim Patel personally downloaded applications, added internal notes to mark bribe amounts, and gave final approvals once cash payments were made.

The agency said it has traced over 800 such applications, generating illegal proceeds of more than ₹10 crore. Searches at Patel’s home reportedly revealed expensive mobile phones and an apartment linked to him, with rental income routed through his mother’s account. The ED also alleged cash was used for personal expenses, including school fees.

Patel was arrested on January 2 and remanded to ED custody till January 7. His defence has denied the charges, calling the arrest illegal and claiming there is no clear money trail. The probe is ongoing.