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DAM-L LS: Corruption in Sardar Sarovar Rehabilitation: Officials arrested (fwd)

Source: The Times of India, Ahmedabad, Aug. 17, 2000

                  3 Narmada project staff held for
                  Rs 45-lakh fraud

                  The Times of India News Service

                  VADODARA: In its first major arrest, the economic
                  crime wing under the city police's detection of crime
                  branch (DCB) arrested seven persons on Tuesday
                  evening for duping the state government of Rs 45 lakh.

                  Those arrested include three employees of the Narmada
                  Nigam Project - clerk J C Panwadi, deputy executive
                  engineer J C Chokshi, deputy accountant J N Prajapati -

                  and four city-based contractors - Sanat Shah, Ashok
                  Shah, Indravadan Patel and Kirti Patel. The arrested
                  were produced in court on Wednesday and were
                  remanded to police custody till August 14.

                  "Four employees of the Narmada Nigam Project, looking
                  after the rehabilitation of dam-affected people, had
                  indulged in a criminal conspiracy. They had made wrong
                  bills, forged checks and made payments to contractors
                  instead of rehabilitation works," economic crime-wing
                  police inspector R A Munshi told TOINS. He said that
                  these irregularities, which amount to Rs 45 lakh, were
                  committed between 1994 and 1996. About 44 fraudulent
                  entries were registered during the said period, Munshi
                  said.

                  Of the four project employees involved, three have been
                  suspended while fourth-accused divisional accountant P
                  B Solanki is still serving. The four builders/contractors
                  arrested by the police had taken payments made in their
                  name by the said employees.

                  "The builders had taken the money by cheques. We have
                  established their involvement in the scam. They were
                  abetted by the four Narmada employees. The scam has
                  been established as a criminal conspiracy," Munshi said.

                  Incidentally, the case was first detected by the city police
                  about three months ago. Later, looking at the nature of
                  the crime, police commissioner J Mahapatra handed the
                  case to the economic crime wing which has been set up
                  to tackle financial crimes.