Surat: A special court hearing Anti-Corruption Bureau cases on Saturday convicted former Surat Municipal Corporation junior engineer Rati Zaveri in a graft case and sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh for demanding and accepting a Rs 20,000 bribe.Rati Zaveri, who was posted as a junior engineer in SMC’s Katargam zone, was convicted for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000. He was caught while accepting the money in 2011.According to case records, Zaveri visited the grocery shop of the complainant and alleged that the building had been built illegally on a reserved plot. He warned that the structure would be demolished. The complainant said the property had been built with valid approvals and documentation. When he requested that demolition action not be initiated, Zaveri demanded Rs 20,000 to stop the process.The prosecution told the court that the complainant initially paid Rs 11,000 and later handed over smaller amounts. Zaveri continued to demand the Rs 7,000 balance. The complainant then approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau and lodged a complaint.The ACB laid a trap and caught Zaveri red-handed when he arrived to collect the remaining Rs 7,000, investigators said. The case subsequently went to trial. Witness testimonies and documentary evidence were produced by the prosecution to establish the charges.After hearing both sides and examining the evidence on record, the court found Zaveri guilty and sentenced him to three years in prison. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
