Former Gujarat Minister and ex-chairman of Dudhsagar Dairy, Vipul Chaudhary, has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment by a court in Mehsana. The verdict comes in a case where Chaudhary and 14 others were found guilty of cheating and causing a loss of Rs 22.5 crore to the dairy in 2014. They had supplied cattle feed to Maharashtra without following proper procedures.
Chaudhary, who is also the former chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the Amul brand, has been a prominent figure in Gujarat’s cooperative sector. He held a ministerial position in the Shankarsinh Vaghela government in 1996.
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Mehsana, Y R Agrawal, convicted Chaudhary and the other accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including cheating, breach of trust, and forgery. Jail terms ranging from one to four years were awarded to the accused.
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The case was registered in 2014 when Chaudhary was serving as the chairman of Dudhsagar Dairy and the GCMMF. He was subsequently removed from both positions over allegations of corruption in cattle fodder procurement.
According to the FIR, Chaudhary took the decision to send cattle feed to drought-hit Maharashtra without proper authorization. The state government alleged that this decision was made without bringing it up in the dairy’s board meeting or issuing any tender.
Other individuals who have also been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment include former board members of Dudhsagar Dairy, Jalaben Thakor, the former vice chairperson, and Nishith Baxi, the former managing director.
The verdict by the Mehsana court marks a significant development in the case, holding the accused accountable for their actions that caused financial loss to Dudhsagar Dairy.
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