Palghar: ZP Member Arrested For Forging MP's Sign & Letterhead, Sanctioning ₹10 Crore Development

Habib Shaikh, a Member of the Palghar Zilla Parishad (ZP) and Chairman of The Jawhar Urban Co-op Bank, has been arrested on charges related to the approval of fraudulent development projects amounting to Rs 10 crores. The allegations state that he employed counterfeit letterheads and forged the signature of MP Rajendra Gavit to authorise these projects. The arrest took place in the early hours of August 20, and police custody has been granted until August 23.

When Gavit came to know about the fraud...

The situation came to light when MP Rajendra Gavit was notified by the State government about the allocation of Rs 10 crores for road development across 10 locations on the Jawhar - Mokhada - Vihigaon State Highway No. 78. These funds were allocated from the 5054 account, designated for the enhancement of State Highway infrastructure.

Following a preliminary investigation, MP Gavit discovered that the documentation submitted to the Chief Minister's office was fabricated and contained a forged signature. The proposal had initially undergone scrutiny by the Public Works Department, with further correspondence and follow-up conducted by Habib Shaikh. Subsequently, the state government granted approval for the projects on August 6.

Upon closer inspection, MP Gavit determined that the proposal had been presented on a counterfeit letterhead, featuring distinct disparities in font, typographic style, signature, and outward numbering. In response, MP Gavit's aide, Pravin Ghogari, was authorised to report the misuse of the letterhead and the associated forgery.

In accordance with this, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on August 18 at the Palghar police station, accusing Habib Shaikh of submitting fraudulent documents employing counterfeit letterheads.

Who is arrested ZP member Habib Shaikh?

The accused, Habib Shaikh, underwent interrogation earlier today and was subsequently taken into custody. Habib is affiliated with the NCP group within the ZP, despite being elected as an independent candidate. Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of The Jawhar Urban Co-op Bank, which maintains branches across Jawhar, Mokhada, Wada, and Vikramgad talukas within the Palghar district.

The accused is facing charges under specific sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 419 (pertaining to cheating through impersonation), Section 420 (related to cheating and dishonestly inducing property delivery), Section 465 (regarding forgery), Section 468 (relating to forgery for the purpose of cheating), and Section 471 (involving the use of forged documents or electronic records as genuine).