In a plotline straight out of a movie, an astonishing incident unfolded on Gujarat's Bamanbore-Kutch national highway. A deceptive toll plaza, cunningly constructed on private land in Morbi district, managed to trick commuters, police, and government officials for an astounding one-and-a-half years, according to an NDTV report.
The toll plaza, strategically bypassing the national highway, charged unsuspecting commuters 50% of the standard toll rate, leaving authorities in the dark for over a year. The deceit was unearthed when officials received information about vehicles diverting from the legitimate Varghasia toll plaza route. Local district Collector GT Pandya recounted, "We received information that some vehicles were being diverted... The police and other officials reached the spot to investigate and filed a detailed complaint."
The manager of the authorized toll plaza on the highway revealed the extent of the fraud, disclosing that private landowners had been dishonestly siphoning off thousands of rupees from unsuspecting commuters daily for one-and-a-half years.
In response to the egregious scam, the police took swift action, filing a complaint against the mastermind, factory owner Amarshi Patel, and four others: Vanraj Singh Jhala, Harvijay Singh Jhala, Dharmendra Singh Jhala, and Yuvraj Singh Jhala.
This incident follows closely on the heels of a similar scam where a man was arrested for running a fake government office in the state for nearly three years, managing to siphon off over Rs 4 crore in government funds.
The unfolding saga of these deceptive activities is a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and robust systems to prevent such audacious schemes in India.
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