Rajkot: Lakhs in regularization fees siphoned off, two arrested

RAJKOT: The local crime branch (LCB) in Rajkot unearthed a massive scam of siphoning off lakhs of rupees paid by people to get their unauthorized property regularized by paying the rates as per the jantri (circle rate).
The money was usurped by two contractual computer operators - Vivek Rathod and Alpesh Gadiyel - working in the mamlatdar office at Rajkot collectorate in Bahumali Bhavan.
LCB had received information that the scam was brewing but swung into action after one complainant came forward. Rathod and Gadiyel were arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
People wanting to regularize their property for which non-agriculture certificate was not issued had to pay certain fees calculated as per the prevailing jantri rates. The amount was to be deposited with the government treasury, but the accused duo issued fake receipts and siphoned off the money. Police recovered Rs 9.24 lakh cash, a stamp of SBI, the treasury office, several duplicate challans and stamp papers from the duo.
Three people, Manish Rathod, Dharmesh Gajjar and Prashant Dubal, where cheated of a total of Rs 5.61 lakh by the duo who issued them bogus receipts.
Police said that the money was siphoned on September 13. Besides the three, the accused cheated Yogesh Dave of Rs 8.67 lakh, Ramnik Kapadia of Rs 88,259 and Rugnath Chhatbar of Rs 76,193, said police. LCB officials said all the seven victims had come forward with a complaint.