Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The crime branch has intensified investigation into the fake fisheries cooperative society allegedly controlled by the Machhli family.
The society had been fraudulently operating at Hathaikheda dam for decades. Notices have been issued to the members and they have been asked to record their statements.
Currently members of the Machhli family are facing charges of drug trafficking and illegal arms trade along with illegally grabbing government land.
As per records, the Hathaikheda dam, which falls under the Bhopal district panchayat, was leased to Machhli Palan Sahkari Samiti Maryadit in 1983.
While the rules mandated local fishermen as members it came to the fore the cooperative society existed only on paper while the operations were controlled by Jalil Mohammed Khan alias Neelu Miyan, a close aide of the Machhli family.
Despite the cooperative society being declared fake by the then Bhopal collector in 2019, Neelu Miyan continued fishing till 2024 on behalf of the Machhli family. The complainant Pramod Lodhi provided all relevant documents to police officials which revealed that some members of the fake committee were already dead.
Crime branch officials said members and caretakers of the dam were now being summoned for questioning following which further action would be taken in this connection.
