6 Baroda Dairy directors found guilty in pouch-packing scam

Vadodara, Mar 20 (UNI) Six directors of the Baroda Dairy, including sitting BJP MLA Upendrasinh Gohil and former dairy board chairman Ajit Thakore, have been found guilty in a pouch-packing scam that rocked the dairy a couple of years ago.

A one-man inquiry committee headed by Mr Ghanshyam Mishra, who recently submitted its report to the Gujarat Chief Registrar of co-operatives, held the six directors guilty for the irregularities committed in awarding pouch-packing contract and recommended recovery of Rs 38 lakh with interest from them to compensate the loss suffered by the dairy following the deal.

Accepting the recommendations of the inquiry committee, the Chief Registrar of Co-operatives yesterday issued recovery notices to all the six directors. The irregularity was reportedly committed by the previous board headed by the then chairman and Congress leader Ajit Thakore.

Besides Thakore, the five other directors who have been found guilty included Vadodara (rural) BJP MLA Upendrasinh Gohil, Kiritsinh Maharaulji, Jagdevsinh Paihar, Bakul Patel and Thakor Patel. All the six were re-elected to the present board for which election was held last year. The scam had come to light following a special audit held in 2006.

The Registrar of Co-operatives held the then dairy chairman Ajit Thakore primarily responsible for the illegal deal and directed him to pay 50 per cent of the loss of Rs 38 lakh, while five other directors were asked to compensate the rest amount.

UNI SS DB RL SSC1229