Multi-crore scam in Kharar Panchayat Samiti, 2 BDPOs suspended

Another multi-crore scam has come to the fore in Kharar Panchayat Samiti during the auditing. Acting tough, two Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs) have been suspended.

Confirming this, the State Financial Commissioner (Rural Development and Panchayat) Anurag Verma said that a multi-crore scam has been found under Panchayat Samiti Kharar and in this context, it has been decided to suspend two BDPOs — Jatinder Singh Dhillon and Malvinder Singh.

“A special audit of Panchayat Samiti was conducted after receiving a complaint about the fraud. Audit report disclosed that an amount of Rs 22 lakhs were transferred on February 5, 2016, to Gram Panchayat Majatri from BDPO Kharar, whereas the concerned Panchayat has never demanded for such grant and no estimate was prepared for demand for this grant,” elaborated Verma.

He added that moreover, no resolution for works was passed by gram Panchayat.

“Subsequent to this, on June 6, 2016, the amount was transferred to Kaura Cement Store, Sanour. No work was carried out in the village even after passing of tenure of 1.5 years,” he said.

Verma said that similarly, Rs 25 lakh was issued to village Majat and Rs 12 lakhs were issued to village Todar Majra, which was immediately got transferred to Kaura Cement Store, Sanour, which is still not used against any development works in the concerned villages.

He said that during the time period between December 5, 2016, and March 23, 2017, an amount of Rs 60 lakh was transferred for seven villages — Bathlana, Cholta Khurd, Kurdi, Siao, Gudana, Kurdi and Malakpur. For this amount, the resolution was neither passed by the concerned Panchayat nor by the Samiti.

“The main fact in this is that although the said amount was issued to seven Gram Panchayats as per records, but as per the Cash Book entry, the amount was issued to Gram Panchayats c/o Mukhvinder Singh and the amount was released by BDPO to contractor Mukhvinder Singh,” he said.

He added that the tender for work was never invited or allotted to any firm before releasing the amount. “Now, after inquiry, it was found that the said contractor has not carried out any development work in any of the village even after the lapse of eight-nine months,” he said.

Verma said that it was also found in inquiry that besides these Rs 60 lakh, another Rs 91 lakh were also transferred by BDPO to Mukhvinder Singh contractor, for which no appropriate record is found under Samiti.

“Panchayat Samiti Kharar has shown booked the amount of Rs 30 lakh for development works of Gram Panchayat Balongi colony, whereas the said work was already carried out under the grants of Gram Panchayat Balongi colony. Hence, bogus expenditure was booked by Panchayat Samiti. As such, out of total amount of Rs 1.51 crore, amount of Rs 1.23 crore was booked under bogus expenditure,” he said.

Verma said that after the initiation of inquiry of the scam, amount of Rs 36.5 lakh was deposited in the accounts of Panchayat Samiti Kharar by contractor Mukhvinder Singh.

“Taking a serious note on the matter, after the approval of Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, the DDPO Mohali was directed to lodge FIR in the matter so that appropriate action against the accused could be initiated immediately,” said Verma.

Verma said that taking a concrete step in the matter, it was decided to take strict action under major punishment against two accused BDPOs — Jatinder Singh Dhillon and Malvinder Singh and it was decided to suspend the said officers.