Gujarat minister’s son held again in Rs 71 crore MGNREGS scam

VADODARA: The Dahod police on Sunday arrested Balvant Khabad, son of state's minister of state for panchayat and agriculture, Bachubhai Khabad, in connection with a fresh FIR linked to irregularities in MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) works. The arrest comes just days after Balvant was granted bail in a related case.Balvant, along with his brother Kiran Khabad, was earlier arrested after the first FIR was lodged in April. Both were granted bail on May 29, but Kiran was immediately arrested again in another case. Balvant was taken into custody on Sunday after Dahod ‘B' Division police registered a third FIR against him on May 31."According to the latest complaint, Balvant's firm, Shree Raj Construction Company, Pipero, fraudulently received Rs 33.86 lakh from the govt without supplying the materials required for a MGNREGA project in Bhanpur village of Dhanpur taluka, during 2022–23," said deputy superintendent of police Jagdishsinh Bhandari.This marks the third FIR related to the alleged Rs 71 crore scam, in which multiple agencies were paid despite not completing assigned work or supplying required materials under MGNREGA schemes between 2021 and 2024. Forged documents and bogus work completion certificates were allegedly used to claim payments.Balvant and Kiran are listed as proprietors of construction agencies operating in Devgadh Baria and Dhanpur talukas. In the second FIR, registered on May 29, agencies — including one owned by Kiran — allegedly received Rs 18.41 lakh for incomplete work in Lavaria village under MGNREGA.Police say that the scam involves collusion between private contractors and govt employees, and further arrests are likely as the investigation continues.