Morbi: Mobi ‘A’ division police has arrested Congress MLA Parshottam Sabariya for his alleged involvement in micro irrigation scam worth crores of Rupees.

Sabaria is MLA of Halvad constituency.

According to police Sabaria had demanded Rs 40 lakh for not raising the issue of irrigation scam issue in assembly.

Lok Sabha member of BJP Mohanbhai Kundaria had suspected crores of Rupees of scam in excavation and renovation of ponds and check dams as part of micro irrigation scheme programme in Halvad, Maliya, Morbi and other talukas and complained Chief Minister about this. According to complain, then Superintendent Engineer and his aides had created false maps through consulting agency and caused loss of crores of Rupees to government.

Sabaria was fist called by police for questioning by district police chief Karanraj Vaghela and DySP Joshi. He was later arrested.

Out of total 334 works worth around Rs 20 crore done under the micro irrigation programme o government, 51 were probed and Rs 1.12 crore irregularities emerged. Police had arrested four persons.

According to DSP Vaghela, anticipatory bail of 50 persons were rejected by court in this case. Vaghela said accused and witness may reveal more names of accused involved in committing the scam or concealing it in exchange of money.

Meanwhile, audio clip of alleged talk between Sabaria and accused Bharatbhai discussing the money to be paid has gone viral.

Police said it has arrested MLA Sabaria after enough leads pointed out his role.

More details:

– Superintendent Engineer of Irrigation department of Morbi, SP Upadhyay is complainant in this case.

– CD Kanani, then assistant superintendent engineer, presently retired and Sustainable Construction Management Consultancy Rajkot’s Proprietor Chaitanya Jayantilal Pandya are main accused in this case. Both are based in Rajkot.

– Both are booked under IPC sections 409, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120(B).

– They are accused of creating fake maps, estimates, measurements and bills and caused around Rs 66,91,792 loss to government exchequer in 46 works of micro irrigation approved in Morbi district in year 2017 and 2018.

– More than two dozen mandlis sought anticipatory bail in sessions court.

– So far only around 51 works are checked for suspected scam. When rest 250 plus works will be checked, the size of the scam may go up further. Complaint was filed after scrutiny of only 48 works.

– Sabaria had demanded Rs 40 lakh for not raising the issue of micro irrigation scam in the assembly and elsewhere. A deal however was finalized with MLA Sabaria for Rs 35 lakh. Sabaria’s lawyer Bharat Ganeshiya was given Rs 10 lakh for Sabaria.

– While Rs 10 lakh was given to Sabaria’s lawyer who was working as middle man, rest amount was paid through cheque by mandli office bearers involved in scam.

– Morbi police held a press conference only after detailed questioning of Sabaria and Bharat and gathering all evidences and statements of accused and witnesses.

DeshGujarat