CID to probe organized land fraud racket in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: The CID Crime has taken over the investigation into an organized gang perpetrating land fraud across the state in the guise of procuring land for religious institutions or cattle shelters.
An official statement issued by the state information department said on Sunday that, "…considering the fact that citizens are being swindled through a distinct modus operandi, minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi has asked the CID Crime to take up investigation into such instances."
The press release also said that the state govt was informed that the gang has been operating for some time, and the scale of the fraud is yet to be determined."The CID Crime is probing into the reach and extent of the gang's activities," the press release said.
"Cases have been reported from Viramgam, Naroda, Varachha, Dhandhuka, Rajkot, Sabarkantha, Surat and Wadhwan, where unscrupulous elements have been duping people," the govt press release said.
The statement also said the gang first identifies a person interested in purchasing land. The person is shown plots of land which can be purchased from farmers, the statement said.
The gang members then enter a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the victim, encouraging him to acquire the land from the farmer and in turn sell it to a religious body at an elevated price.
The gang members demand an advance for the agreement, thus perpetrating fraud, the govt statement said.