Three years after he had absconded following his involvement in appropriation of valuable land near Por in Vadodara, Bhaghu Patel, a land broker from Ahmedabad, was arrested on September 7.
The issue dates back to 2019 when Mahendra Patel purchased 5,568 square metres of land in Por through legitimate sale documents. Shortly after, he was threatened by individuals claiming that Bhaghu Patel had claims over the land. Bhaghu’s associates subsequently took possession of the property forcefully. This led to the filing of a land grabbing case against Bhaghu and seven others at the Varanama police station.
Patel, who had been on the run for three years, was finally apprehended from his farmhouse in Bodakdev area of Ahmedabad. the investigation, it was discovered that Patel had been evading the authorities by staying at his farmhouse during the night while remaining active in public during the day. A special team, after a three-day surveillance, arrested him.
Patel, who operates under the name of Tirupati Estate in the Asalali region, is involved in land dealings. He also owns approximately 150 acres of land near Vadodara.
In addition to the land grabbing charges, Bhaghu faced accusations of getting case of atrocity filed against Mahendra Kantilal Patel, for which Patel was arrested. In 2021, Bhagu allegedly used all means, including threats and coercion, to seize the land from Kantilal Patel.
This arrest marks a crucial step in addressing the illegal land grabbing activities in Gujarat, and it highlights ongoing issues with land-related crimes in the region.