ED arrests Surat BJP leader in cheating case

Police had booked him under IPC sections 465, 468, 471, 420 and 120(B).

A press release issued by ED officials mentioned that Sarma had shown fake circulation figures of his both newspapers, to get advertisement from government agencies through DAVP and other advertisement agencies.

Sarma had shown circulation figures of the Gujarati newspaper between 23,500 copies and English newspaper between 6000 to 6300 copies to avail the advertisements. The investigation wing of I-T department had found that the actual figures of circulation figure for the Gujarati newspaper was 300-600 copies and 0-290 copies for the English daily. Using the fake figures and bogus documents, Sarma had allegedly availed ads from the government and private advertisement agencies to the tune of Rs. 2.70 crore.

The police complaint against Sarma was filed by Dr. K D Mammaya, Deputy director of Investigations wing of the Surat Income Tax department. Raids were carried out by investigations department of Surat I-T at Sarma’s house and business places.

A day after the complaint was filed, Sarma allegedly attempted suicide by hanging at his friend’s house in Navsari district,. He was under medical treatment in a private hospital and after being discharged, he was arrested by Umra police on November 20. He was under judicial custody at the Surat Central jail.Sanket Media manager Mukhtar baig and another director of the firm Sitaram Adukiya were also arrested nd they are in the judicial custody at Surat Central Jail.

The ED officials had initiated inquiry after the police had registered FIR against him. The officials took his custody from Surat central jail on Thursday and produced him before the Special PMLA court in Ahmedabad which remanded him.