Rajkot's town planning engineer booked in DA case

Rajkot: A deputy executive engineer of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC), who earlier served as an assistant town planner, was booked for possessing disproportionate assets worth Rs 75 lakh by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Ajay Vegad served in the town planning branch before the devastating TRP Game Zone fire, which left 27 people dead in May last year. Vegad is the second officer of the town planning branch, after MD Sagathiya, who was booked for accumulating assets more than his known legal sources of income by misusing his position.

According to a statement issued by the ACB, Vegad, a class-2 officer, is currently serving as a deputy executive engineer in the construction department.

KH Gohil, deputy superintendent of police, ACB, said, "We gathered documentary information from various govt offices and analysed the financial transactions of Vegda and his family. During the investigation, it was revealed that he misused his position as a public servant to accumulate benami properties."

During the primary investigation, the agency found that he invested these funds in immovable and movable properties in the names of himself, his wife, and children.

Between April 1, 2014, and June 3, 2024, a total of approximately Rs 65.97 lakh was deposited in various bank accounts belonging to Vegda and his family members. Upon examining his assets, it was discovered that between April 1, 2014, and June 3, 2024, he possessed disproportionate assets worth Rs 75.21 lakh, which is 38.76% more than his legal income.

Consequently, a case was registered against the accused at the Rajkot ACB police station under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The TRP Game Zone fire exposed rampant corruption in the RMC's town planning department. The department permitted illegal construction in the city in exchange for bribes, and former TPO Sagathiya was found possessing massive disproportionate assets in the names of his family. The home department later permitted the ACB to attach Sagathiya's assets worth Rs 23 crore. After the incident, the entire town planning department was dissolved, and the work was decentralised.

Rajkot: A deputy executive engineer of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC), who earlier served as an assistant town planner, was booked for possessing disproportionate assets worth Rs 75 lakh by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Ajay Vegad served in the town planning branch before the devastating TRP Game Zone fire, which left 27 people dead in May last year. Vegad is the second officer of the town planning branch, after MD Sagathiya, who was booked for accumulating assets more than his known legal sources of income by misusing his position.

According to a statement issued by the ACB, Vegad, a class-2 officer, is currently serving as a deputy executive engineer in the construction department.

KH Gohil, deputy superintendent of police, ACB, said, "We gathered documentary information from various govt offices and analysed the financial transactions of Vegda and his family. During the investigation, it was revealed that he misused his position as a public servant to accumulate benami properties."

During the primary investigation, the agency found that he invested these funds in immovable and movable properties in the names of himself, his wife, and children.

Between April 1, 2014, and June 3, 2024, a total of approximately Rs 65.97 lakh was deposited in various bank accounts belonging to Vegda and his family members. Upon examining his assets, it was discovered that between April 1, 2014, and June 3, 2024, he possessed disproportionate assets worth Rs 75.21 lakh, which is 38.76% more than his legal income.

Consequently, a case was registered against the accused at the Rajkot ACB police station under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The TRP Game Zone fire exposed rampant corruption in the RMC's town planning department. The department permitted illegal construction in the city in exchange for bribes, and former TPO Sagathiya was found possessing massive disproportionate assets in the names of his family. The home department later permitted the ACB to attach Sagathiya's assets worth Rs 23 crore. After the incident, the entire town planning department was dissolved, and the work was decentralised.