BDPO dismissed for embezzlement of Rs 75 lakh

The BDPO, Rasaal Singh, was dismissed on the orders of the Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa after it was found in the departmental inquiry that the officer allotted work without floating any tenders (Source: Google Maps)

The Rural Development and Panchayat department has dismissed from the service the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) of Gandiwind block in Tarn Taran district for alleged embezzlement of around Rs 75 lakh allocated for installation of hand pumps in the district. The department has also written to Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to register a case against the BDPO.

The BDPO, Rasaal Singh, was dismissed on the orders of the Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa after it was found in the departmental inquiry that the officer allotted work without floating any tenders.

Disclosing this on Sunday, the department’s secretary, Anuraag Verma, said an inquiry was conducted against Rasaal Singh after they received a complaint against him. The officer was later chargesheeted. “It was found that the officer embezzled Rs 48.37 lakh in the work of installation of the hand pumps. Now, the police will investigate whom he had allotted the work,” Verma said.

Apart from installation of solar lights, Rasaal Singh, with the help of one Mukhtiar Singh who is a contractor, also allegedly allotted work worth Rs 14 lakh for the construction of toilets to people without floating the tenders.