ACB quizzes APMC chairman and VC in corruption inquiry

Surat: Sleuths of anti-corruption bureau registered statements of two BJP leaders, who are office-bearers of Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Surat in an inquiry ordered by a local court on Saturday. Vinod Ramji Patel had approached the court two years ago seeking an inquiry into alleged corruption in APMC worth several crores of rupees. An inquiry by ACB was ordered by the court and is being conducted by C K Patel, police inspector, ACB Surat. Statements of Raman Patel alias Jani, APMC chairman, and Sandip Desai, APMC vice-chairman, were registered in connection with the ongoing inquiry.
A total of 23 people, including Jani and Desai, were named in the complaint for misappropriating funds. “The complaint is about corruption in various projects of APMC. The complainant has raised questions about expenses in various projects, including a hotel and cold storage depot, purchase of vehicles and food offered to people going on pilgrimage to Shirdi. A few other projects and their expenditures too have been questioned by the complainant. Statements were registered of people who are office-bearers of APMC as a part of the inquiry,” said an ACB officer.

Jani claimed that similar types of allegations are being regularly raised for the past few years. “Allegations are levelled against me when there is election of any cooperative body. The facts will come out. We have submitted all documents to ACB officers for examination,” Jani said.

APMC has developed a swanky vegetable market on Ring Road and offers vegetable and milk products online. APMC had in the past courted controversy after it occupied a piece of land that belonged to a trust of a minority community.