Bhopal: A preliminary inquiry into pension scam tumbled out of closet lately revealed that fraudsters siphoned off more than Rs 20 crore meant for poor who depend on the allowance for sustenance. Over 50,000 genuine pension holders have been deprived of their social security allowance that should have come in their bank accounts went into the pockets of the fraudsters.
In all 50746 bank accounts linked with social security pension scheme were found suspicious. The fraudsters transferred the pension amount meant for disabled, widows, old aged people and others into the fake accounts multiple times and later withdrew it.
The social justice and disability welfare department is disbursing allowances to over 37 lakh people under schemes and every month around Rs 135 crore is being transferred in accounts for like old age pension, widow pension, pension to specially-abled person and to others as well. The department had found out that huge amount was transferred multiple times in fake accounts and withdrawn, depriving the eligible people of the benefits.
National Informatics Centre has identified 50,746 accounts in which the suspicious transactions were made. As many as 4294 suspicious accounts, highest in the state have been identified in Satna. While in Mandla 2709 accounts and in Barwani 2309 accounts have been found suspicious. Cyber police and social security department have started inquiry into the scam.
Around Rs 25 crore are believed to have been syphoned off. It has been found that the fraudsters had hacked the accounts of the janpad panchayat and nagar panchayat, municipal corporation and others and syphoned off around Rs 25 crore. Cyber police have registered more than three FIRs in connection with the fraud.