Vice chairperson of Gujarat Bar Council, fourth additional chief judicial magistrate of Junagadh, and six others were sentenced to three years in prison along with a fine in over a two-decade old fraudulent billing scam worth ₹126 crore.

As per details of the case, the then Mamlatdar of Vanthali in Junagadh conducted an investigation on July 16, 1995, in a property adjacent to Captain Enterprise on the first floor of Vishal Tower in Kalva Chowk, Junagadh. This was based on information that fake bills were being generated in the names of Shrinathji Industries of Shapur (Vanthali taluka) and Umiya Industries of Vanthali. 

During the investigation, materials related to these industries were found, including round seals of government offices, other rubber stamps, and a round seal of Vanthali Sorath Taluka, which were misused to create fake bills.

Following this, further investigations were carried out at Bhavnath Sales Corporation in Daulatpara, Sabalpur’s Jainath Seeds Corporation, and Yogesh Industries in Sabalpur. Statements from the owners revealed that the gate passes and bills of Shrinathji Industries were provided by Mukesh Chunilal Kamdar from Junagadh. During the investigation, Mukesh Kamdar was found to have created fraudulent bills to defraud the government.

Further investigations revealed the involvement of Mukesh Chunilal Kamdar, Rasik Prabhudas Dave from Keshod, Kirit Gokal Savaliya, Babu Shambhu Rakholiya, Ashwin Ratilal Vaghela from Upleta, Bharat Ratilal Suchak, Satish Rameshchandra Virda, and Dinesh Vira Virda from Ganod.

It was discovered that these individuals had created fake vouchers, bills, and gate passes. Moreover, the mills for which the bills were created had their electricity connections cut off in July 1994 and had been shut down. Despite this, a fraudulent billing scam of ₹126 crore in edible oil was carried out from a shop in Vishal Tower under the name of these mills.

As a result, on July 17, 1995, the then Mamlatdar of Vanthali, M B Soni, filed a complaint against Mukesh Chunilal Kamdar and seven others. 

On Tuesday, as the case concluded, Junagadh’s fourth additional chief judicial magistrate, Hitesh Kumar Dholakia, sentenced lawyer and Gujarat Bar Council Vice Chairman Mukesh Chunilal Kamdar, Rasik Prabhudas Dave, Kirit Gokal Savaliya, Babu Shambhu Rakholiya, Ashwin Ratilal Vaghela, and Dinesh Vira Virda to three years of simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹1,000 each. If the fine is not paid, they will have to serve an additional 30 days in jail. 

Moreover, the court ordered the cancellation of their bail and directed them to be taken into judicial custody. The names of former mayor Satishchandra Virda and Bharat Ratilal Suchak were removed from the list of accused following their demise.ukesh Chunilal Kamdar, Rasik Prabhudas Dave from Keshod, Kirit Gokal Savaliya, Babu Shambhu Rakholiya, Ashwin Ratilal Vaghela from Upleta, Bharat Ratilal Suchak, Satish Rameshchandra Virda, and Dinesh Vira Virda from Ganod.

It was discovered that these individuals had created fake vouchers, bills, and gate passes. Moreover, the mills for which the bills were created had their electricity connections cut off in July 1994 and had been shut down. Despite this, a fraudulent billing scam of ₹126 crore in edible oil was carried out from a shop in Vishal Tower under the name of these mills.

As a result, on July 17, 1995, the then Mamlatdar of Vanthali, M B Soni, filed a complaint against Mukesh Chunilal Kamdar and seven others. 

On Tuesday, as the case concluded, Junagadh’s fourth additional chief judicial magistrate, Hitesh Kumar Dholakia, sentenced lawyer and Gujarat Bar Council Vice Chairman Mukesh Chunilal Kamdar, Rasik Prabhudas Dave, Kirit Gokal Savaliya, Babu Shambhu Rakholiya, Ashwin Ratilal Vaghela, and Dinesh Vira Virda to three years of simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹1,000 each. If the fine is not paid, they will have to serve an additional 30 days in jail. 

Moreover, the court ordered the cancellation of their bailand directed them to be taken into judicial custody. The names of former mayor Satishchandra Virda and Bharat Ratilal Suchak were removed from the list of accused due to their demise.