The Vadodara Police have arrested one of the former chairmen of the Vadodara District Sugarcane Grower's Cooperative Union (VDSGCU) for his alleged involvement in the Gandhara sugarcane scam.
Vasant Rao Patil was arrested from Thane in Maharashtra. Bodeli Circle Inspector V I Patel, who is investigating the case, said Patil held the key to mismanagement of the accounts of the Union and his arrest was crucial in the Rs 18-crore scam.
"A team from Karjan, where the complaint against the main accused Jaykant Patel, a former chairman of VDSGCU and Devendra Thakkar is registered, went to Maharashtra. Along with Patil, Patel and Thakkar who are wanted in the case, nearly 30 members of the cooperative have been named," added Inspector Patel.
The Maharashtra Police apprehended Patil after informed by their Vadodara counterparts that his close relatives were residents of Thane.
According to the police, Patil was the managing director and was promoted as chairman when the scam took place in 2005 and 2007. The Registrar of Audits had lodged a complaint in October this year against Patel, Thakkar and Patil after the Department of Sugar, Government of Gujarat, asked for a re-audit of the accounts of VDSGCU.
According to the members of Chambers of Commerce, the sugarcane scam accused manipulated the measurements at various levels of production and supply, while lack of an open tender system also helped the accused to make changes in accounting ledgers.
According to police officials in Karjan and Bodeli, where the complaints are filed against the accused in the scam, Patil's arrest was crucial for the investigations. Meanwhile, Patel and Thakkar have moved anticipatory bail applications against their arrest.
The Vadodara District Sessions Court rejected anticipatory bail applications of the 10 accused in the sugarcane scam worth Rs 18.7 crores.
According to police officers in Karjan and Bodeli, the accused kingpin and former chairman of the Vadodara District Sugarcane Grower's Union (VDSGU), Jaykant Patel and former Vice-Chairman of the cooperative, Devendra Thakkar, have been declared absconders.
After the arrest of the former managing director, BM Patel on Tuesday, Vadodara police have been able to nab only two officials out of the 30 accused. "Of the 30 accused, 10 had forwarded anticipatory bail applications which were rejected by the court. Although there are no new findings in the investigations, we hope to arrest all the accused soon," said Bodeli Circle Police Inspector, V I Patel.
Meanwhile, Karjan police have raided the factory premises of Jaykant Patel. "So far, we have got about 50 coupons and some of the account ledgers belonging to the cooperative from Patel's Gandhara Sugar Mills," said Inspector, M N Parmar.
Among those whose bail applications have been rejected by the sessions court include, Subhash Patel, Pravin Patel, Kesrisinh Raj, Bhupendra Bhatt, Kishorisinh Parmar, Bhaskar Bhatt, Kaushal Sharma, Chandrakant Patel and two others. Police said all the accused were office-bearers of the cooperative.
SOURCES : The Indian Express
Post a Comment