State Minister Bachu Khabad’s Younger Son Also Arrested In Dahod MGNREGA Scam

Dahod: The investigation into a massive misappropriation of funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Dahod district has intensified, with both sons of Gujarat Panchayat and Agriculture Minister Bachu Khabad now in police custody. Kiran Khabad, the younger son of the minister, was apprehended by police in the early hours of May 19 from the Vadodara-Halol highway. His arrest came less than 48 hours after his elder brother, Balvant Khabad, was taken into custody in connection with the same scam.

The fraudulent scheme, which is estimated to involve over Rs 200 crore in questionable financial transactions, revolves around ghost projects in tribal-dominated regions of Dhanpur and Devgadh Baria. Officials allege that government funds meant to create rural jobs and build basic infrastructure were siphoned off using forged documents and non-existent construction work.

According to investigators, fake bills and inflated estimates were submitted for public works that were never actually executed. Construction firms allegedly operated by the Khabad brothers, Raj Construction and Raj Traders, have been identified as central players in the scheme.

The scam was initially uncovered by B.M. Patel, Director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), who flagged inconsistencies in expense reports and project verification documents. A special audit followed, revealing Rs 60.9 crore in fraudulent bills in Devgadh Baria and another Rs 10.1 crore in Dhanpur alone.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been tasked with digging deeper into the conspiracy, which has so far led to the arrest of eight individuals. Apart from the minister’s sons, those detained include former Taluka Development Officer Darshan Patel, technical staff, Gram Rojgar Sevaks, and two accountants affiliated with MGNREGA operations.

With the scale of the scam still unfolding, the political and administrative fallout is expected to be significant in the run-up to upcoming elections.