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The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Gujarat Congress seeks probe into MGNREGA, Nal Se Jal scams
The Gujarat Congress on Friday (July 4, 2025) petitioned Governor Acharya Devvrat demanding an impartial inquiry into alleged corruption in MGNREGA and Nal Se Jal schemes, while calling for the removal of state minister Bachu Khabad, whose two sons were arrested in a ₹75 crore MGNREGA scam last month. A delegation led by Leader of Opposition Amit Chavda submitted a memorandum alleging widespread corruption in rural employment and water supply schemes. 'MGNREGA, meant to provide 100 days' employment, has become a tool to fill officials' coffers,' the Congress stated, citing a Dahod district probe that uncovered ₹100 crore embezzlement. The party claimed Mr. Khabad's sons Balvantsinh and Kirit, arrested in the scam, had direct involvement along with the Minister's aides. 'Despite evidence, Khabad remains in cabinet and could influence probes,' the memorandum said, seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with judicial oversight for statewide inquiries. Similar irregularities were alleged in Nal Se Jal, with the Congress asserting complaints from multiple districts were ignored. Acting state chief Sailesh Parmar and MLA Jignesh Mevani accompanied Chavda in submitting the memorandum.
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Conduct SIT probe in MGNREGA, Nal se Jal schemes, remove minister Khabad from post': Congress writes to Gujarat governor
DEMANDING 'an impartial investigation into the state-wide corruption in MGNREGA and Nal Se Jal' schemes, besides removal of Minister Bachubhai Khabad from his post, Leader of Congress Legislative Party Amit Chavda submitted a written representation to Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Friday. Stating that the 'state government's will to eradicate corruption seems to be lacking', Chavda, who was accompanied by Congress MLAs Kantibhai Kharadi, Jignesh Mevani, Shailesh Parmar, Lalit Vasoya and Amrutji Thakor, along with other party leaders, stated in the letter that there is an urgent need for the Governor's intervention. 'An SIT (Special Investigation Team) should be formed with people holding judicial positions to conduct an impartial investigation into the widespread scam of crores in the MGNREGA and Nal se Jal schemes across the state. Strict action should be taken against those involved in this scam. Therefore, it is requested to order immediate and appropriate action to prevent the open loot of public tax money to eradicate corruption,' the demand stated. Chavda stated, 'The Congress-led UPA government enacted the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005, ensuring 100 days of employment per year. But for the last few years, the MGNREGA law in Gujarat has become (a means) to fill the coffers of office-bearers and officials with connivance of the government machinery… After our repeated written representations, question-answer sessions and debates in the assembly besides protests, the government conducted an investigation into corruption in a few villages.' The Congress has been repeatedly alleging corruption in the MGNREGA scheme for the last few weeks. 'In the investigation of Devgadh Baria and Dhanpur talukas in Dahod district, corruption worth more than Rs 100 crore has been revealed. The direct involvement of the family of state government minister Khabad has been revealed. Even though it has been many days since the corruption came to light…, the state government is not removing him from the cabinet. By misusing his position and power, he is misleading the investigation and protecting his accomplices,' stated the letter. A few weeks ago, two sons of Khabad, Balvantsinh and Kiran, were arrested for alleged irregularity under the MGNREGA. Khabad is the Minister of State for Panchayat in Gujarat government. 'In the remaining talukas of Dahod district, including Fatepura, Sanjeli, Jhalod, and Singvad, corruption worth crores has also taken place in MGNREGA. Bills have been paid repeatedly without doing work on the spot or (payment has been made) to ghost job cards. But despite complaints and evidence being given, no investigation has been done till date,' the letter submitted to the Governor stated. The Congress leaders alleged similar corruption in 26 villages of Jambughoda taluka in Panchmahal. 'Not only in Dahod, Panchmahal, Narmada and Bharuch, in the entire Gujarat, corruption scam worth crores of rupees is going on with the connivance of cabinet members and senior officials in Gandhinagar by creating a systematic network in the MGNREGA scheme. There is no will in the government to stop corruption. Therefore, your intervention is urgently needed and an SIT of persons sitting on judicial and constitutional positions should be formed to investigate the corruption in MGNREGA in the entire state,' the letter addressed to the Governor stated. Chavda has also alleged 'scam worth crores of rupees' in the 'Nal Se Jal' scheme in the state. 'Even after big announcements that the people of Gujarat will get 'Nal Se Jal' (water supply through taps) in every house, the Water Supply Department has been benefiting from the budget of crores of rupees from the tax money of the people. Despite complaints with evidence from many districts across Gujarat, no proper investigation or strict action has taken place with regard to corruption in the scheme. To protect the leaders and senior government officials, the government is taking action against lower-ranking officials,' he alleged in the statement.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Time of India
Sessions court upholds minister's sons' bail
Vadodara: The Dahod district and sessions court turned down the applications seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Balwant and Kiran Khabad, the sons of Gujarat minister of state for panchayats Bachu Khabad in connection with the first offence registered, for the alleged Rs 71 crore scam in the National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREGA) scheme in Dahod. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Both are, however, still in judicial custody for other offences registered against them later. The Khabad brothers were arrested after their names cropped up in the Rs 71 crore scam, for which an offence was registered in April. They later got bail from a magisterial court in Dahod. Dahod police registered two more offences for NREGA scams in different villages and re-arrested Balwant and Kiran. They were taken into police custody for these offences and then sent to judicial custody. The brothers are accused of supplying material for NREGA works even when their agencies did not qualify as the lowest bidder. Material was supplied by agencies linked to the two brothers and others in three villages of Devgadhbaria and Dhanpur talukas in Dahod district. So far, 12 people have been arrested for the scam. They include eight officials and four private persons, including the Khabad brothers.
Indian Express
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat Confidential: Ministers' absence
Minister of State for Panchayat and Agriculture Bachubhai Khabad has been a talking point in the corridors of the Secretariat after the arrests of his two sons in alleged scams related to the MGNREGA scheme in Dahod district, with Khabad having been missing from the meeting of the state cabinet for two occasions now. However, sources said that in the last cabinet meeting held on May 28, four other ministers were also not present for various reasons. The four ministers, sources added, were Parshottam Solanki, Harsh Sanghavi, Rushikesh Patel and Kubder Dindor. Posters still up 'Operation Sindoor' banners and posters in black and red put up in Bhuj at major locations, roads, and roundabouts remain even a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public event held in the city on May 26. The Prime Minister had also taken out a rally less than a kilometre away. The banners and posters congratulate and laud the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces. Kutch Collector Anand Patel told this paper that during the 'Operation Sindoor', people in Bhuj in Kutch district were among those who actively responded to calls for blackouts and other acts.
Indian Express
29-05-2025
- Indian Express
MGNREGA ‘scam': Dahod court dismisses police revision plea against bail to Khabad's sons
The Dahod sessions court, on Thursday, dismissed the plea of the district police seeking stay on the regular bail granted on Wednesday to two sons of Gujarat Minister Bachubhai Khabad — Balvantsinh and Kiran — arrested in an alleged scam of Rs 71 crore in the works carried out under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Apart from a bail bond of Rs 50,000 each, the Khabad brothers have also been barred from staying in Dahod district during the course of the investigations. The Dahod court rejected the plea of the district police challenging the bail order of Wednesday, following which, the process for the release of Khabad brothers from judicial custody started, lawyers of the Khabads told The Indian Express. Among the bail conditions, the court has directed Balvantsinh and Kiran Khabad to submit a bond of Rs 50,000 each, as well as prohibition from entering Dahod district until the investigation in the case is completed. They have, however, been asked to appear before the investigating officer whenever required. Advocate AR Chauhan, representing the Khabad brothers, told The Indian Express that the court had directed the brothers to cooperate in the further investigations. 'The Sessions court has upheld the regular bail granted to Balvantsinh and Kiran Khabad on Wednesday… The police application was rejected. They will comply with the conditions.' On Wednesday, a court granted Balvantsinh and Kiran Khabad regular bail in the case of the alleged MGNREGA scam unearthed in the villages of Devgarh Baria and Dhanpur district. Chauhan had argued on the grounds that the firms of Balvantsinh and Kiran were involved in supplying material and did not have a contract to complete the work on the ground. Their liability cannot be made out in the case of non-completion of MGNREGA projects as they only supplied the material and it was not their task to see if the material was used for completing the roads. Senior officials of Dahod police remained unavailable for comment on Thursday. A total of 14 persons have been arrested in the alleged scam so far.
