A resident of Dehgam, Badarsinh Thakore is accused of duping two city-based builders Bhika Maheria and Tushar Gandhi of Rs 2.22 crore by selling them the defunct Aabad Dairy in Kankaria, which is presently under the possession of the state government, as a private property.

The accused was arrested when he was passing by the Karikat canal area in his Bolero vehicle. The police also seized a photocopy of a Rs 6.5-crore bank draft, some newspaper cuttings and Rs 48,000 in cash.

The case details suggested that Thakore had approached Maheria in January last year, claiming that he can get him the 38,000-square-metre premises of Aabad Dairy by using his connections in the Chief Minister's office.