Gujarat High Court Denies Bail to Ex-IAS Officer in Rs 3.12 Crore Money Laundering Case
The Gujarat High Court denied regular bail to suspended IAS officer Rajendrakumar Mahendrabhai Patel in a money laundering case involving alleged bribery worth over Rs 3.12 crore linked to land conversion approvals. The court emphasized that preventing money laundering is vital to protect the nation's economic health and sovereignty. Patel was accused of receiving a 50% share of illegal payments from a bribery network operating within the Surendranagar collectorate, based on 501 applications processed during his tenure. Bail was refused as Patel did not meet the stringent conditions under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.