Ex-additional collector accused in Rs 3.23-crore land scam arrested

Rajkot: The absconding key accused in the Rs 3.23crore land scam involving 320 acre meant for the new airport near Hirasar village in Rajkot was arrested after he surrendered before Surendranagar anti-corruption bureau (ACB) on Tuesday night.
C G Pandya, a suspended additional collector of Surendranagar, had earlier applied for anticipatory bail in the Gujarat high court which was rejected.

“Pandya had no option, but to surrender,” said H P Doshi, deputy superintendent of police, Rajkot ACB.

Pandya was booked along with deputy collector V Z Chauhan and deputy mamlatdar J L Dhadvi of Surendranagar for allegedly selling off 320 acre government land in Bamanbore and Jivapar of Chotila taluka in Surendranagar district.

“It came to the notice of the state government during land acquiring process initiated around the proposed international airport site at Hirasar village of Rajkot taluka, Bamanbore and Jivapar, that the ownership of 320 acre of government land had been fraudulently given to 13 people,” said Doshi.

After the scam came to his notice, Surendranagar district collector K Rajesh sent a report to the state government, following which the government suspended the accused trio on February 7. The government ordered that the accused trio be booked for the crime and a probe be launched against them.

Rajesh had lodged a complaint with Surendranagar ACB against the accused trio and 13 people who had tranferred the land in their names.

After the case was registered, Doshi carried out raids at the houses of the accused trio. As the accused were found to have gone absconding, notices of ordering them to produce themselves before the ACB were pasted on their houses. Also, the documents pertaining to the scam at Surendranagar collectorate were seized.