A corruption scandal, allegedly involving more than ₹12 crore has been uncovered in Navsari. Eleven government employees, both current and former, have been arrested for allegedly presenting fake bills and embezzling public funds allocated for water supply schemes. 

The corruption came to light in an investigation triggered by a formal complaint filed by Asha Patel, an executive engineer with the Valsad public works department. Patel wrote to the Valsad public health office, on Aug 25, 2023, after which the case was handed over to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the CID, Gandhinagar.

The investigation revealed that Gujarat Water Supply & Sewerage Board (GWSSB) officials in Navsari district colluded with contractor agencies in 57 villages—25 in Chikhli, 20 in Gandevi, and 12 in Khergam—to defraud the state of ₹5.48 crore. 

Jatin Patel of GWSSB, Navsari was the first to be booked following an investigation launched by CID crime branch DySP AA Pandya.

Subsequently, the Navsari local crime branch (LCB) arrested retired executive engineer Dalpat Patel (59), Rakesh Patel (46), Jagdish Parmar (41), Narendra Shah (71), Tejal Shah (37), Jyotibhai Shah (64), Shilpa Raj (44), Kiran Patel (47), Mohammad Ahmed Nalwala (48) and Dharmesh Patel (42).

The accused were produced before the court, which ordered an eight-day remand, unil July 25.

Anatomy of a fraud

In 2023, ₹24 crore was allocated for water supply works in Navsari district.

However, the Water and Sanitation Management Organization (WASMO) initially stalled the work on source wells and missing pipelines, due to delays in grant approvals. When the grants were finally approved, tenders worth ₹16.47 crore were approved for 209 projects, despite non-compliance with rules and violations of administrative approval in several cases. 

Bills worth ₹19.33 crores were approved, apparently towards payments for 163 projects. However, only 73 works were actually implemented, with the remaining 90 staying firmly on paper. 

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