Rajkot : A man who allegedly posed as an officer of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been booked by Gandhigram police in Rajkot for defrauding a retired State Bank of India employee of Rs. 8.29 lakh on the false promise of securing his son a permanent job in the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) department.
As per agency report, the accused, identified as Devaraj Valjibhai Gohil, a resident of Ganjivada-9, had befriended the complainant, 61-year-old retired banker Jagdishbhai Chauhan, nearly a decade ago when he used to visit the bank frequently and introduced himself as an ACB officer. In 2024, Gohil again approached Chauhan and claimed that he could help his son Jaipal get a permanent position in the CGST office, demanding Rs. 8 lakh for the task. He later asked for an additional Rs. 55,000 as “office membership fees,” bringing the total to Rs. 8.29 lakh, which Chauhan paid in installments.
Initially, Gohil reassured the complainant by showing him a fake call letter and remained in contact for some time. However, he later switched off his phone and disappeared. When Chauhan tried to contact him through another number, Gohil’s son said his father was not home, while his father later revealed that Gohil was actually in jail. Realizing he had been deceived, Chauhan filed a complaint with the Gandhigram police.
According to officials, the accused is currently serving time in another case related to a cheque bounce offence. The police are now seeking his custody to question him further and carry out a detailed investigation.
The complainant mentioned that he had once confronted Gohil, asking how he could engage in corruption while claiming to be an ACB officer. Gohil reportedly replied that such actions were carried out under the orders of senior officers.
Police have urged citizens to remain alert against individuals demanding money in exchange for government jobs or official favors. They advised that no payment should be made without proper verification and any such incidents should immediately be reported to the nearest police station.
