Ahmedabad Chief Fire Officer terminated in bribery sting

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has terminated Amit Dongre, the Probationary Chief Fire Officer, following an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sting operation involving bribery.

According to the ACB, Dongre and an accomplice, 31-year-old Bhavsinh Zala, allegedly demanded ₹36,000 in exchange for approving fire No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for six different buildings in Ahmedabad. The bribe amounted to approximately ₹6,000 per certificate. The investigation began after a fire safety officer reported the demand to the ACB after submitting applications through the state government's online portal.

During a trap set by the ACB near the Yash Equa Complex in Memnagar, Zala was caught red-handed while accepting the money. Investigators noted that during the operation, Zala communicated with Dongre via telephone, during which Dongre allegedly expressed consent regarding the bribe amount.

Following the incident, a local court remanded both Dongre and Zala until August 12. The ACB is continuing its investigation, which includes scrutinizing bank accounts, financial transactions, and communications to determine the full extent of the alleged collusion.