Police have arrested three individuals, including Gujarat Congress Vice President Hira Jotva and his son Digvijay Jotva, in connection with an alleged MGNREGA scam, Bharuch SP Mayur Chawda confirmed on Saturday. The arrests came after a survey in 11 villages revealed the misappropriation of government funds. SP Chawda explained that suspicions regarding irregularities in MGNREGA prompted the Bharuch District Development Officer (DDO) to launch a preliminary probe across 56 villages. The investigation, covering 11 of them, uncovered evidence of financial fraud involving forged documents and illegal diversion of funds, violating the scheme’s 60:40 material-labour ratio.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by a Deputy SP, found discrepancies between the reported materials used and the actual work on-site. Additionally, the required ratio for construction materials wasn’t upheld. The owners of the Jalaram and Murlidhar agencies, who are currently absconding, are also under investigation, with police suspecting wider involvement.

Further inquiry revealed that Hira Jotva was operating the scam through agencies registered under other names, and had government funds funneled into a relative’s bank account. His son, Digvijay Jotva, was also implicated after funds were traced to his personal account. Another accused, Rajesh Tailor, allegedly used forged documents to claim funds from the government. SP Chawda stated that false job cards were created, and payments were made to individuals who never worked, with the money used for personal gain. He added that the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected as further evidence is uncovered.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.