Posing as Modi’s PA, he amassed over Rs 1 cr

The Anti Terrorist Squad has arrested one Bharat Patel, who used to cheat people by posing as Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s PA.

The Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested one Bharat Patel, who used to cheat people by posing as Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s PA. According to ATS chief Rajan Priyadarshi, by impersonating the PA of the chief minister, Patel cheated many people who paid him money to get their job done. Patel had amassed over Rs 1 crore and among those who fell in his trap included a deputy collector .

“He has amassed more than Rs 1 crore in this way since 2002,” Priyadarshi told mediapersons on Wednesday.

Giving details about Patel’s dealings, Priyadarshi said that people used to give him money for transfers, file clearance and contracts. “Among those who paid him money for getting work done includes one deputy collector Nimesh Patel, who had paid Rs 3 lakh for his transfer to Surat,” he said.

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One Punambhai Patel of Balasinor had paid Rs 33 lakh to Patel to garner a contract of supplying uniforms to schoolchildren under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan project.

“He used to tell people that he was a member of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan committee and that he could get contracts awarded to them,” said Priyadarshi. Priyadarshi said people used to put blind faith in him and gave money whenever he demanded. Nobody suspected him, he said.