Rajkot: City crime branch registered a fresh case in the alleged land-for-loan scam that has already seen several complaints registered, after a farmer accused a group of loan operators of retaining control of his land despite full repayment of a Rs 9 lakh loan and later demanding Rs 1 crore to return it.The latest complaint has been filed by Lalji Mepa Fangaliya, a resident of Sanosara village in Rajkot district. Based on his complaint, police have initiated proceedings against Alpesh Donga, Jitendra Nashit and Haresh Kotadivala.Donga is the key figure in an alleged network accused of deceiving farmers seeking small loans into executing sale deeds for valuable agricultural land. Police say the arrangement was presented as a temporary security measure, with assurances that the deeds would be cancelled once the loan and interest were repaid.The current complaint centres on a two-acre parcel in Khorana village. Police said Fangaliya needed funds for a cattle shed but was unable to obtain bank finance because his land was mortgaged against a Rs 15 lakh loan from Saurashtra Gramin Bank.Investigators said Donga arranged Rs 9 lakh through investor Jitendra Nashit and charged interest at 2.5%. As security, a sale deed for two acres of land bearing Revenue Survey No. 44, Part 3/1, was executed in Nashit’s name on October 19, 2021.According to the complaint, Fangaliya approached Donga’s office on April 1, 2023, to settle the account. A handwritten calculation allegedly showed a total liability of Rs 13.82 lakh, including principal, interest and other charges. The farmer claims he paid the amount and received assurances that the deed transfer would be reversed.Police said the deed was never cancelled. Fangaliya further alleged that Donga, Nashit and Kotadivala later demanded Rs 1 crore to return the land.
