Minister's family arrested in corruption scandal

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-05-20 18:15:28 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-23 06:45:08

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The son and nephew of a government minister in India's Gujarat state have been arrested in a multi-million dollar corruption scandal involving the country's rural development program.

The federal investigation that ensued has alleged that the duo siphoned off millions of dollars from the government's Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, paying poor villagers for fictitious work with forged documents. The scheme, which aims to provide job cards and employment to millions of rural citizens, has been plagued by allegations of corruption and poor implementation in the past.

The latest scandal, estimated to be worth INR 71 crores (approximately USD 8.7 million), involved approximately 438 accounts and dozens of villages where the alleged fraud took place. Both the nephew and the son of the minister, who headed the state's tourism department, have been detained and await formal charges.

The arrests come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government faces increasing criticism over corruption scandals and rising prices, with some alleging that the latest arrests are just the tip of the iceberg and that rampant corruption continues to thrive at all levels of government in India.

The accused may face extensive jail time and financial penalties if found guilty, serving as a stark reminder that no one is exempt from the law, not even the kin of influential politicians.

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