Former home minister of Gujarat held in Rs 14.8-crore ‘bonus scam’

Chaudhary was former Dudhsagar dairy chief when in 2014, he was sacked from both GCMMF and Dudhsagar dairy after facing corruption charges in connection with Rs 22 crore cattle fodder scam. (File photo)

Former Home Minister of Gujarat and former chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Vipul Chaudhary, was arrested by the Gujarat Police Crime Investigation Department (CID) Crime and Railways on Sunday for his alleged involvement in a bonus scam of Rs 14.80 crore.

The arrest of Chaudhary comes weeks before the Mehsana Dudhsagar Dairy elections on January 5, 2021. According to police, the former GCMMF chief had allegedly conspired with Mehs-ana Dudhsagar union officials to siphon off money from fund me-ant for paying bonus to workers.

GCMMF markets its products under the brand name ‘Amul’.

Chaudhary was also former chief of Dudhsagar dairy when in 2014, he was sacked from both GCMMF and Dudhsagar dairy following corruption charges in connection with Rs 22-crore cattle fodder scam. Under the scam, the GCMMF was supposed to send cattle fodder to Maharashtra.

“In 2014, a first information report was filed against Chaud-hary at Mehsana B Division police station related to the loss of Rs 22 crore in the cattle fodder scam.

Later in 2018, a Tribunal court ordered that Chaudhary pay 40% of the Rs 22 crore, which amounted to Rs 9 crore at the earliest,” said an officer of CID Crime on condition of anonymity.

“Chaudhary then conspired with Dudhsagar dairy present chairman Asha Thakor, vice-chairman Moghji Patel, managing director MJ Bakshi and came up with a scam of bonus given to the workers of the Dudhsagar union. The accused siphoned off Rs 14.80 crore meant to be for yearly bonus for 1932 workers of the Dudhsagar union,” he added.

“An FIR was filed recently at Gandhinagar CID crime police station after a complainant approached us. We held Chaudhary on Saturday night from Gandhinagar and he has been arrested today (Sunday). He has been booked under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code sections 409 for criminal breach of trust by public servant, 408 for criminal breach of trust by clerk, 120b for criminal conspiracy,” the officer said.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.