Another official arrested for 71cr NREGA scam

Vadodara: Dahod police arrested another official in connection with the Rs 71 crore NREGA scam unearthed in the district. This official allegedly facilitated the allocation of funds for works where the scam took place. The accused, Hamid Alam, was a contracted employee and worked as the work manager in the district rural development agency (DRDA) in Dahod. He was also the in-charge deputy district programme coordinator. He is currently deployed with the Swachh Bharat Mission. Sources said Alam played a key role in the scam as he ensured that allocation was done for the works brought by other accused. Irregularities were committed in these works. So far, officials who cleared the bills and were responsible for overseeing works were arrested. Police sought a 14-day remand for Alam's interrogation from a magisterial court, which granted four days. The scam came to light after the DRDA probed complaints of payments being made to agencies that had not won tenders for the supply of material for NREGA works. These agencies included those run by Balwant Khabad and Kiran Khabad, the sons of Gujarat minister of state for panchayats Bachu Khabad. An offence was registered, estimating the scam to be worth Rs 71 crore, and 16 persons have been arrested so far, including Balwant and Kiran. Two more offences were registered for NREGA irregularities in two villages. The Khabad brothers and others were arrested in connection with those offences as well.