Ahead of Maharashtra elections, bank accounts of 12 ‘unemployed’ youths in Muslim-dominated Malegaon were credited with amounts ranging between ₹12-15 crores.
The cumulative amount of about ₹125 crores was deposited in accounts managed by the Malegaon Merchant Bank. The Nashik Rural police have launched a probe into the matter to ascertain the source of the funds and the motive behind the transfer to the said bank accounts.
According to the preliminary investigation, a local trader named Siraj Ahmed collected the Aadhar and Pan cards of the dozen unemployed youngsters under the pretext of providing them jobs at the Malegaon market committee.
The documents collected from the youths by Ahmed were then used to create shell companies and make banking transactions to the tune of ₹125 crores in the past 2 weeks.
According to the police, financial transactions could be linked to shell companies for election funds. The matter came to light only after the youths received SMS confirming credit of ₹12-15 crores to their bank accounts.
On learning about the matter, the locals notified Public Works Minister Dadq Bhuse, who represents the Malegaon constituency.
