Vadodara: A prominent transporter and real estate developer from Vadodara, Bhanwarlal Gaud, was arrested nearly 25 years after purchasing land using a forged farmer's certificate.
The arrest follows an inquiry ordered by the Vadodara collector earlier this year after Waghodia MLA Dharmendrasinh Waghela alleged in a January letter that Gaud submitted fake documents to falsely claim farmer status in Karjan taluka.
After verifying the claims, mamlatdar Dinesh Patel lodged a formal complaint against Gaud.
The case dates back to 1999 when Gaud acquired land in a village near Karjan by presenting documents to prove he was a farmer. An inquiry conducted in 2001 cleared him after he submitted additional documents to the mamlatdar's office.
However, the fresh investigation revealed that the documents Gaud provided during the earlier inquiry were forged, leading to his arrest.