Four arrested in MNREGA scam in Dahod

Vadodara: Dahod police have arrested four persons in connection with a scam involving works and material supplies under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in Dahod district. The accused allegedly cleared fraudulent bills for incomplete projects and unauthorized material supplies.Following complaints, the Dahod district panchayat directed the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) to investigate allegations concerning works and supply of materials in Redhana and Kuva villages of Devgadh Baria taluka, and Simamoi village of Dhanpur taluka. The Congress had also raised the issue recently, demanding a thorough probe.After registering the offence, the Dahod police launched an investigation, scrutinizing several documents related to the case. Sources said four officials involved in processing and approving the dubious bills were arrested.Those arrested include two accounts officers, Jayvir Nagori and Mahipal Chauhan, who approved payments for unauthorized suppliers and incomplete projects. Two gram rozgar sevaks, Fulsinh Baria and Mangal Pateliya, were also implicated for preparing payment bills and falsely recording incomplete works as completed.The investigation revealed that around Rs 71 crore was disbursed to unauthorized agencies for material supplies. According to procurement rules, the agency offering the lowest bid is supposed to be awarded the supply contract. However, the probe found that several agencies that were not the lowest bidders supplied materials and submitted bills, which the officials cleared.Further irregularities were uncovered in the execution of roadworks in the three villages. Bills were cleared showing completion of projects, even though, on inspection, less than half of the work had actually been carried out on the ground.