In death, lender unmasks ‘teacher-cum-loanshark’

Rajkot: A dead man led Amreli police and Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to unearth disproportionate assets (DA) worth Rs 1.27 crore from a suspended primary school teacher in Amreli district.
Accused Bhabhlu Varu who had invested in luxurious cars and land was found to be involved in money lending. The matter came to light after a resident of Nageshree village in Jafrabad taluka, Hitesh Goradia, allegedly took his own life to end the harassment by a moneylender.
In his suicide note addressed to Amreli superintendent of police, Nirlipt Rai, Goradia, who took the extreme step in Rajkot in June this year, named Varu. The accused was then teaching in Balanivav primary school of Rajula taluka. While a case of abetment of suicide was registered against Varu in Rajkot at that time, Amreli police later found cases of money laundering against him.
According to police, deceased used to borrow money from Varu and lend it again at higher interest to others. The police had also recovered ornaments worth Rs 1.56 crore which is had seized from Goradia’s residence in Nageshree village.
Varu, who too was found to be involved in various offences like extortion and threatening and was wanted by Rajula police station, is currently lodged in judicial custody.
Talking to TOI Rai said, “We have found disproportionate assets worth Rs 1.26 crore on the name of his spouse and children which is 147 percent higher than the income from his legitimate profession.”
A case of money lending was earlier registered against Varu in Rajula police station and the police had registered another case against him after Goradia’s suicide. The police, thereafter, found various bank accounts in his name, luxurious cars and various other properties in Amreli district besides a visit to Thailand and sent a report to the ACB.