In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Bharuch police arrested Gujarat Congress Vice President Hira Jotva, his son Digvijay Jotva, and associate Rajesh Tailor in connection with a major MGNREGA scam involving fake job cards and embezzlement of government funds.
The arrests followed a preliminary investigation by the District Development Officer (DDO), which revealed irregularities during a survey of 11 out of 56 villages under scrutiny. Authorities found forged documents, inflated bills, and violation of the 60:40 material-to-labour ratio mandated under MGNREGA guidelines.
According to Superintendent of Police Mayur Chawda, the scam involved siphoning off government money through ghost beneficiaries and bogus construction bills. Hira Jotva allegedly ran two contractor agencies—Jalaram and Murlidhar—under false names, with funds redirected to his relative’s accounts.
His son Digvijay Jotva, arrested from Gir-Somnath, is accused of personally receiving a portion of the misappropriated funds. Rajesh Tailor allegedly helped collect payments using forged paperwork.
“We have solid evidence—fake job cards, unused materials billed as completed work, and funds routed to private accounts,” said SP Chawda. “More arrests will follow as the investigation unfolds.”
An SIT led by the Deputy SP continues to probe deeper into the scam, which points to a wider network of individuals and agencies involved in the fraudulent scheme.
