Ahmedabad, September 27 (Daily Kiran) : Ahmedabad police have initiated an investigation into a significant political donation scam involving the Bharatiya National Janata Party (BNJD) and four of its officials. The alleged scam, amounting to ₹1,143.85 crores, reportedly involved donations from 56,238 contributors. The Income Tax Department estimates that the government lost approximately ₹343 crores due to this scheme.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Gandhinagar registered a First Information Report (FIR) on September 25, based on complaints from income tax officials. Those named in the FIR include BNJD President Surendrakumar Gajera, General Secretary Vipul Solanki, Treasurer Raunak Singh Chavda, and chartered accountant and auditor Adil Syed, along with other party members.
These allegations have yet to be proven in court. According to the Income Tax Department’s complaint, the transactions in question occurred between the financial years 2019-20 and 2024-25. It is alleged that taxpayers transferred funds to the party through banking channels, including RTGS, and received donation receipts to claim deductions under the Income Tax Act for contributions made to political parties.
Investigators claim that the funds were subsequently transferred from the party’s accounts to intermediary firms such as J Trading, Kajal Enterprises, and Parmar Associates. Fake invoices and bills for the purchase of food grains, pulses, and other items were allegedly created to account for these transfers, followed by cash withdrawals.
The complaint further alleges that commissions ranging from 2% to 10% were retained, and the remaining amounts were returned to the original donors through hawala networks and angadia channels. The Income Tax Department estimates that this arrangement resulted in a direct tax loss of around ₹343 crores.
Additionally, the complaint claims that fraudulent accounting records and Form 24A contribution reports were submitted to the Election Commission, misrepresenting the alleged transactions as legitimate political donations. Gajera is identified as the principal accused and mastermind behind the operation, overseeing the network and setting commission rates.
Solanki is accused of coordinating donor details via messaging platforms and issuing signed donation receipts. Records of transactions and digital communications related to Chavda were seized during searches conducted by the Income Tax Department in November 2025 at the BNJD office in Gandhinagar and associated properties.
According to police, the criminal complaint was filed based on subsequent investigations. The case involves charges of fraud, criminal conspiracy, forgery, and the use of counterfeit documents under the Indian Penal Code.
BNJD is a registered unrecognized political party that has contested elections in Gujarat. Public records indicate that it has reported substantial donations in its documents over the years.
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