Gujarat Congress MLA accused of corruption in ‘irrigation’ scam sent to police custody

Meanwhile, police conducted searches at Ganeshiya’s residence in Halvad recovered evidence. “We have recovered Rs 40,000 cash from Ganeshiya’s residence. The money was meant to be paid to the MLA. We have also recovered the cheque which Ganeshiya had issued to the MLA last month,” deputy superintendent of police of Morbi division, Banno Joshi told The Indian Express.

Police say that Ganeshiya was acting as a middleman between the MLA and those who are allegedly involved in the irrigation scam. Satish Upadhyay, executive engineer of irrigation department in Morbi district panchayat had filed a complaint with “A” Division police station in on September 27 alleging there were irregularities to the tune of Rs 66.91 lakh in repair and restoration work of percolation tanks, check-dams and minor irrigation schemes (MIS) in the district. He had stated that these irregularities had come to light after inspection of 46 out of 334 projects for which repair and restoration work had been undertaken during the financial year 2017-18 and 2018-19. He had stated that the accused did not carry out any repair and restoration of water bodies but claimed money from the government by forging bills and then submitting them as genuine.

Upadhyay had named CD Kanani, then executive engineer of irrigation department in Morbi district panchayat and Chaitanya Pandya, proprietor of Sustainable Construction Management Consultancy (SCMC), a private firm based out of Rajkot. The irrigation department had allotted the work of preparing drawing maps, preparing cost estimates and tenders for the repair and restoration projects while the actual work was allotted to private contractors and various societies of labourers in the district. But police say that contractors and societies did not do any actual repair and restoration work but claimed money from the government in collusion with Kanani and others.

After registering an FIR for criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and forgery, the “A” police had arrested Kanani, who has since retired and Pandya. Police had also arrested Bharat Rathod, president of Malaniya village labourers cooperative society in Halvad taluka and Ganpat Rathod, who was looking after affairs of Malaniya cooperative society.

Police say that after the MLA came to know about the alleged scam, he demanded Rs 40 lakh from those accused in the irrigation scam in lieu of not exposing them. Through Ganeshiya, who, police say, is an associate of the MLA, Sabariya finalised the deal for Rs 35 lakh and even received Rs 10 lakh. Ganeshiya, police say, also issued the MLA a cheque for the balance Rs 25 lakh as security for the remaining amount.

Halvad taluka is part of Dhrangadhra Assembly constituency and Sabariya was elected from the seat in December last year.

An audio clip of a purported conversation between Ranji Patel and Sabariya has gone viral on social media platforms. In the recording, Rajni, a resident of Ajitgadh village in Halvad is heard telling Sabariya that Rs 7.4 lakh which has already been paid and that Kanani will soon make arrangement for Rs 2.4 lakh more. The MLA is heard asking Rajni not to make any delay in paying the Rs 2.4 and the balance Rs 25 lakh.

Congress MLA Lalit Kagathara claims that it is on the basis of the said audio clip that police have arrested Sabariya. However, Deputy SP Joshi said that they had not taken cognisance of the clip as yet. “I have heard about the clip and that it has gone viral. But I have not personally heard it. Nor have we taken cognisance of it,” she said.

Meanwhile, Congress MLAs from Saurashtra staged a day-long Dharna outside the “A” division police station, calling Sabariya’s arrest with ‘mala fide intent’ and said that he was being targeted. “Sabariya has been framed in the case by BJP functionaries. Rajni Patel is a close aide of former minister Jayanti Kavadiya and police have arrested Sabariya just on the basis of the audio clip. While it is true Sabariya is heard discussing money in the clip, it is not clear for what purpose the money is being sought,” Kagathara, who is also president of Morbi district unit of the Congress said.

Kavadiya, who hails from Halvad, however, said the state government would not spare the guilty. “The Congress MLAs who are protesting should actually go on the field and check if any work has been done or not. The guilty have to be punished,” he said.

Later in the evening, Kagathara and other MLAs went to “A” Division police station with an application seeking to register an FIR against Minister of State for Home, Pradeepsinh Jadeja and Patidar leader Jayram Vansjaliya playing an audio clip of purported conservation between the Minister and the Patidar leader. “In this audio clip, which is on the YouTube, Jadeja and Vansjaliya are heard talking about demanding money for a case which is pending before the Gujarat High Court. If our MLA can be arrested just on the basis of an audio clip, same should be done in the case of the Minister and Vansjaliya,” said the Congress leader.

However, police refused to register a case. “We told the Congress leaders that we have not arrested the MLA on the basis of an audio clip. We have arrested him on the basis of different evidence and statements. We tried to explain that to them and they understood. After that, they gave an application. The audio clip they were talking about is not recent one nor is it in the jurisdiction of Morbi police. But they were adamant to give an application and therefore, we accepted it. However, we shall not take cognisance of it,” the SP said.