Balvant Khabad, TDO, among 7 arrested for fraudulent payments under rural employment scheme
Dahod (Gujarat), May 17 – In a significant development, Gujarat Minister Bachubhai Khabad’s son, Balvant Khabad, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a ₹71 crore scam linked to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The case involves fraudulent payments made to private agencies for incomplete or non-existent development works.According to the police, Balvant Khabad and former Taluka Development Officer (TDO) Darshan Patel were taken into custody on Saturday in Dahod district. Their arrest brings the total number of individuals in the case to seven.
Bachubhai Khabad, Minister of State for Panchayat and Agriculture, represents the Devgadhbariya constituency in Gujarat. His son, Balvant, is alleged to own one of the 35 agencies accused of defrauding the government by submitting bogus completion certificates to receive payments for unexecuted work.
Scam Details: Bogus Certificates and Ghost Projects
The scam reportedly unfolded between 2021 and 2024 across Devgadh Baria and Dhanpur talukas, both part of the tribal-dominated Dahod district. Police investigations suggest that owners of these 35 agencies, in collusion with certain government officials, embezzled ₹71 crore by falsely claiming to have completed infrastructure projects like roads, stone bunds, and check walls.Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagdishsinh Bhandari, who is leading the investigation, stated that an FIR was filed last month based on the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) findings. The agency discovered that payments had been cleared for never physically executed projects, despite being marked as completed on paper.
Irregularities in Tendering and Payments
Authorities revealed that some payments were made to ineligible agencies that did not participate in the required tendering process. Others received funds for supplying materials they never delivered.The FIR includes cheating, forgery, and breach of trust, implicating government officials and private contractors.
Ongoing Investigation
Police said further inquiries are being made to determine the full extent of the scam and identify all individuals involved. As the investigation continues, additional arrests are likely.This high-profile case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of a state minister’s immediate family member, underscoring the importance of transparency and accountability in implementing government welfare schemes.
