Kanungo in Punjab sacked for tampering with record, embezzling Rs1.1 cr

A Kanungo has been dismissed from service for allegedly manipulating revenue records and embezzling Rs 1.11 crore.

On July 9 this year, Balkar Singh was suspended by deputy commissioner following a land scam complaint.

“After the complaint, two probes were conducted by sadar Kanungo, Ferozepur, and later by additional deputy commissioner (general), Ferozepur, which found the kanungo guilty,” said Ferozepur deputy commissioner Chander Gaind.

Detailing about the case, the DC said: “To set up a check post at New Mohammadi Wala, a border village, the Border Security Force acquired 46 kanals in 2000 and paid Rs 1.11 crore to the land owners.

The compensation for the land acquired was challenge by some persons, who claimed to be “genuine owners” of the land, said the DC.

It came to fore that instead of paying the compensation to genuine owners, money was disbursed to relatives of Balkar Singh, then area patwari, said Gaind.

The authorities of 136 Battalion of BSF filed a complaint to the local administration following which a probe was initiated.

The fraud was detected during the probe and action was initiated against Balkar.

“During investigation it was found that the revenue records were tampered with during then patwari Balkar’s tenure (now kanungo of Ferozepur Cantonment) in order to make outsiders the owner of land measuring 46 kanals,” said the DC.

Balkar, who was earlier suspended, has been dismissed, he said.

First Published: Sep 01, 2019 00:59 IST