Gujarat Water Department Official Booked for Major Financial Fraud
The Chhota Udepur district police have registered a case against an Assistant Accountant of the Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO) for allegedly embezzling approximately Rs 1.41 crores from government funds. The accused, identified as Timir Hasmukh Patel, reportedly transferred the money through 56 separate transactions into his personal account between November 2024 and October 2025.
How the Fraud Was Discovered During Diwali
The financial irregularities came to light during the Diwali festival last month when cheques intended for paying staff salaries failed to appear in the department's bank account. According to the FIR lodged at Chhota Udepur police station, Patel was responsible for depositing these salary cheques but provided misleading explanations about the delay.
When questioned about the missing funds, Patel allegedly claimed that the bank had not updated the account due to processing delays. However, a post-Diwali investigation revealed the truth: the designated account showed insufficient funds because the cheques had never been deposited as required.
The Investigation Unravels the Scheme
A detailed inquiry uncovered that Patel had been systematically siphoning money from grants allocated for various water and sanitation programs in rural areas. The financial transactions, which involved misappropriation of departmental funds, were allegedly cleared using joint signatures of the Unit Manager and District Coordinator.
Police are currently investigating whether Patel forged these signatures to authorize the fraudulent transfers. The bank statements of department accounts clearly show entries confirming that Rs 1.41 crores was transferred to Patel's personal account between November 8, 2024 and October 16, 2025.
Senior police officials have confirmed that Patel has been summoned to appear for investigation on November 24. The case has been registered under charges of forgery, using forged documents, and criminal breach of trust.
The WASMO Unit Manager filed the official complaint that led to the FIR, highlighting serious concerns about financial oversight within the department. This case represents one of the significant financial fraud incidents in Gujarat's government departments recently, raising questions about internal controls and monitoring mechanisms.
