Surat: Days after Rs 40 lakh old notes seized, govt officer, aide booked

Patel runs an NGO, Gurukurpa Sewa Trust, that works for the welfare of tribals. He told the police that the money belonged to tribal sub-plan officer N R Damor, posted in Tapi district, said Bhagirath Gadhvi, Tapi DSP. Before he was transferred as deputy controller of civil defence in Jamnagar, Damor was project administrator, (tribal sub-plan) at Songadh in Tapi.

Police said that Patel claimed before the investigating officer that he had been told by Damor to collect the money from his Gandhinagar residence and he was only following orders.

After the seizure of the demonetised notes, Tapi police also intimated the Income-Tax department officials for further investigations to track the source.

On the basis of Patel’s statement, police summoned Damor, who refuted all allegations. The Tapi police also went to Gandhinagar and talked to Damor’s wife and his three children. DSP Gadhvi said, “We have taken the statements of Damor’s wife and his three college-going sons. They all have said that they don’t know Patel and they had not handed the cash to him.”

Tapi police finally registered a case against Damor and Patel under IPC sections 13 (1) (criminal misconduct by a public servant) and 13 (2) (prescribes imprisonment of 1 to 7 years along with fine) of the Prevention of Corruption Act on Saturday.

Gadhvi said, “Earlier, the statements of both the parties were contradictory. Later, we started investigations and found some witnesses and evidences which proved that the cash belonged to Damor. We have got the call records of Damor and Patel which is enough to prove this. Yogesh came to Damor’s office frequently and we have some witnesses. The investigation is still on.”