In Dahod, Gujarat, the MNREGA scam has taken a new turn. Two more accused were presented in court today. They are Kiran Khabad, son of Minister Bachubhai Khabad, and Deputy DDO Rasik Rathwa. The court has ordered both to be sent to judicial custody.
This case began when a complaint was filed by the director of the Dahod Rural Development Agency. Following this, the Dahod police launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of several accused individuals. Among them were both sons of the state-level minister, Bachubhai Khabad – Balwant Khabad and Kiran Khabad. After their arrests, police obtained remand for both sons. Yesterday, Balwant Khabad’s remand ended, and he was sent to judicial custody. Today, Kiran Khabad and Deputy DDO Rasik Rathwa were also presented in court after their remand periods ended.
The MNREGA scam has sparked significant discussion in Dahod. Locals claim that if a fair investigation is conducted, a massive scam involving fake job cards for poor workers could be revealed, leading to a loss of millions of rupees. Reports suggest that not only corrupt officials, but local BJP leaders may also be involved in this case.
Documents indicate that large sums were taken based on fake job cards, even though promised work such as deepening ponds and repairing hand pumps was never completed. Locals are questioning where the work was done if the promised projects did not materialise. The investigation revealed that several agencies received payments for work they did not complete.
Minister Bachubhai Khabad visited the location where Prime Minister Modi will be arriving on May 26. This visit comes amid growing calls for his resignation due to the involvement of his sons in the scam. Despite the scandal, it seems the minister plans to attend the Prime Minister’s event.
The MNREGA scheme is designed to provide jobs to rural workers. However, this scam has raised serious questions about its implementation in Dahod. Over the years, fake documents were created to divert funds for work that was never done. The total amount involved in this fraud exceeds 71 crore rupees.
As the investigation continues, many are curious about the extent of this scam. Authorities have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look deeper into the matter. The involvement of a minister’s sons has heated political discussions, and many are waiting to see how the police will handle the investigation.
Local leaders had previously assured tribal communities that they would benefit from government schemes. However, many poor tribal workers were misled into signing documents for job cards that were never used for actual employment. Reports indicate that ATM cards linked to these job cards were used without the workers’ knowledge, leading to significant financial loss for them.
In conclusion, the Dahod MNREGA scam is a developing story that raises critical issues about corruption in government schemes. As the investigation unfolds, many are hopeful that justice will be served and that those responsible will be held accountable.
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