In a shocking incident, a contractor has reportedly defrauded the Patan district’s Road and Building Department of ₹8.23 lakhs. The contractor, Jitendra Falabhai Patel from Palanpur, allegedly used a fake Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR) from HDFC Bank to secure a work order for a road project. The project was for the road connecting Kalyana to Nendroda in Siddhpur taluk, approved at a cost of ₹2.8 crore on October 13, 2022.
The Patan district’s Road and Building Department called for tenders, and Patel submitted the lowest bid. On June 30, 2023, his tender was approved. Patel was required to submit a deposit of ₹8,23,100 along with a ₹34,000 stamp duty certificate to formalise the contract.
He presented a fraudulent FDR number 503007050707278, dated September 16, 2023, to finalize his contract on September 18, 2023. However, the road construction work did not commence despite multiple reminders from the department. The Assistant Engineer of the Siddhpur Road and Building Department attempted to contact Patel via written notifications and phone calls, but to no avail.
The department expressed concerns as Patel failed to start the work even after numerous opportunities were given. By March 2025, the contractor still showed no intention of beginning the project. Following this, a notice was issued on March 7, 2025, asking Patel to be present at the work site for final measurements. He did not show up, leading to the termination of his contract on April 8, 2025.
The department later sought to recover ₹27,43,522 from Patel, as the amount of the FDR was confiscated as per the contract rules. When the HDFC Bank was approached to verify the FDR, they confirmed on April 28, 2025, that the FDR was not issued by them, exposing Patel’s fraudulent activities.
As a result, the police registered a case against Jitendra Falabhai Patel under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating and forgery. The police have started further investigations, collecting evidence such as work orders, notices sent to the contractor, and the bank’s response regarding the FDR’s validity.
This incident has raised serious concerns within the Patan district administration about the integrity of contract processes. Officials are now reviewing their procedures to prevent such frauds in the future. The case highlights the need for stricter verification processes when contractors submit financial documents to secure government projects. The Patan district administration is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in its dealings, and this case will serve as a crucial example moving forward.
Leave a Reply