Gujarat tainted officer’s wealth 1,128% more than legal income

RAJKOT: The disproportionate assets accumulated by Rajkot Municipal Corporation’s (RMC) tainted town planning officer MD Sagathiya are expected to swell if the investigation launched by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is anything to go by.
After recovering gold, silver, diamond, and other valuables total worth Rs 18 crore from his brother’s office on Monday, the corruption watchdog has found that Sagathiya also owned petrol pumps, agriculture land, and other immovable properties registered in the name of his spouse, son and daughter.

Sagathiya is among the five RMC officers arrested in the grisly TRP Game Zone fire on May 25 in which 27 people were roasted alive.
Sagathiya’s legal income during his tenure was Rs 2.57 crore, but the properties and valuables found in his possession have been valued at Rs 29 crore, indicating disproportionate assets of 1,128%. Sagathiya is in the ACB custody after a local court granted a six-day remand on Monday. The district government pleader, S K Vora, stated, “We informed the court that ACB has found properties and valuables total worth Rs 28 crore to date. Even if he had saved the entire legal income of his career, he wouldn’t be able to buy properties of this value. That’s why it’s necessary to investigate whether these unaccounted properties are owned by Sagathiya or he was a caretaker on behalf of somebody.”
The investigation revealed that Sagathiya did not disclose details about his foreign tours funded by the RMC. Additionally, he visited four countries with his family, raising concerns about the scale of his corruption. Properties like petrol pumps and agricultural land parcels have been found in the names of his son and daughter. An ACB source indicated, “Sagathiya’s spouse and children do not have independent income that they could buy the huge properties. These properties may be bought from the unaccounted income of Sagathiya.”
“Investigators need to gather documentary evidence and trace the money trail regarding these properties, necessitating custodial interrogation. They are also examining transaction patterns in various bank accounts linked to Sagathiya,” Vora pleaded.
Sagathiya’s tenure at RMC reportedly involved corrupt practices, such as failing to act against illegal infrastructure. He is also booked for forging meeting minutes in the RMC’s records on May 27, sensing that he would face legal action.
The ongoing probe aims to uncover whether Sagathiya’s amassed wealth exceeds his legal earnings substantially and whether these assets belong to him or serve as proxies for others.