SIT formed for 7.3 crore NREGA scam in Bharuch

Surat: After Dahod and other districts in Gujarat, a scam in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme has been uncovered in Bharuch district. An official of the Bharuch district rural development agency (DRDA), Pratik Chaudhary, filed an FIR at Bharuch A Division police station against two firms that are registered in Veraval, and the govt officials concerned, for a scam worth Rs 7.30 crore. Police have invoked charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.Bharuch SP Mayur Chavda formed a special investigation team (SIT) under DySP Dr Anil Sisara to probe the matter.The persons accused are the proprietors of the two firms, Piyush Nukani of Murlidhar Enterprise, and Jodha Sabhad of Jalaram Enterprise; and govt servants in three talukas — Jambusar, Amod and Hansot.The FIR alleges that the accused produced inflated bills to carry out a Rs 7.30 crore scam in works under the scheme at more than 56 villages. It states that the accused did not use quarry spoil as specified in the tender or the metal that they had mentioned in the bills. Teams formed by the district development officer (DDO) first checked 11 works to confirm the scam. Teams later found that the same scam took place in 56 villages of Hansot, Jambusar and Amod.In most cases, the accused produced forged bills to get paid. They did not use the materials specified by the govt in the standard operating procedure (SOP). Both firms conspired with the govt officials to perpetrate the scam.Both firms were only responsible for supplying material. They conspired with the officials to get money meant for unemployed people from the NREGA scheme. They did not employ these unemployed persons as required by the scheme and completed road projects and other works to illegally obtain govt funds.This scam had been going on in these three talukas of Bharuch since January 2023. The FIR was filed on May 30, after which an SIT was formed on June 4 under the supervision of Dr Anil Sisara. The SIT included 11 policemen, including an inspector, sub-inspector, assistant sub-inspector, and constables.The SIT has started its work and has taken statements from 30 people so far. The SIT has also called govt officials and employees for their statements. Officials are likely to visit all 56 villages where the scam took place.Surat: After Dahod and other districts in Gujarat, a scam in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme has been uncovered in Bharuch district. An official of the Bharuch district rural development agency (DRDA), Pratik Chaudhary, filed an FIR at Bharuch A Division police station against two firms that are registered in Veraval, and the govt officials concerned, for a scam worth Rs 7.30 crore. Police have invoked charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.Bharuch SP Mayur Chavda formed a special investigation team (SIT) under DySP Dr Anil Sisara to probe the matter.The persons accused are the proprietors of the two firms, Piyush Nukani of Murlidhar Enterprise, and Jodha Sabhad of Jalaram Enterprise; and govt servants in three talukas — Jambusar, Amod and Hansot.The FIR alleges that the accused produced inflated bills to carry out a Rs 7.30 crore scam in works under the scheme at more than 56 villages. It states that the accused did not use quarry spoil as specified in the tender or the metal that they had mentioned in the bills. Teams formed by the district development officer (DDO) first checked 11 works to confirm the scam. Teams later found that the same scam took place in 56 villages of Hansot, Jambusar and Amod.In most cases, the accused produced forged bills to get paid. They did not use the materials specified by the govt in the standard operating procedure (SOP). Both firms conspired with the govt officials to perpetrate the scam.Both firms were only responsible for supplying material. They conspired with the officials to get money meant for unemployed people from the NREGA scheme. They did not employ these unemployed persons as required by the scheme and completed road projects and other works to illegally obtain govt funds.This scam had been going on in these three talukas of Bharuch since January 2023. The FIR was filed on May 30, after which an SIT was formed on June 4 under the supervision of Dr Anil Sisara. The SIT included 11 policemen, including an inspector, sub-inspector, assistant sub-inspector, and constables.The SIT has started its work and has taken statements from 30 people so far. The SIT has also called govt officials and employees for their statements. Officials are likely to visit all 56 villages where the scam took place.