In a major political corruption case, Rajasthan’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court has granted a two-day police remand for Bagidora MLA Jaykrishna Patel and his cousin Vijay Kumar, alias Vicky, accused of accepting a Rs20 lakh bribe to withdraw questions related to mining from the state assembly.
The duo was arrested on Sunday, and produced before the special ACB court on Monday. While the ACB requested four days’ custody to trace the full money trail and unearth further links, the court granted remand until May 7.
The investigation began after Ravindra Singh lodged a complaint on April 4, alleging that Patel initially demanded Rs10 crore, which was later negotiated down to Rs2.5 crore. Patel reportedly pressured Singh through persistent contact, eventually directing him to hand over the money at his official residence in Jaipur on May 4.
As per the ACB, Singh met Patel around 11:30 AM in the basement parking, where Patel personally counted Rs20 lakh in cash inside the complainant’s vehicle before passing it to an associate who fled. ACB officers were waiting nearby and immediately detained Patel.
A chemical handwash test confirmed Patel’s contact with the bribe, with his hands turning red, a clear indicator of recent handling of the cash. The Rs20 lakh was later recovered, buried underground by one of Patel’s relatives after circulating through several hands.
ACB DG Dr. Ravi Prakash Meharda confirmed that the money trail revealed an attempt to pass off the bribe as a fake property transaction. CCTV footage from Patel’s residence and server room data are now under forensic scrutiny. Further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.
