The Haryana Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) team raided the house of a retired account officer of the Panchayati Raj Department in Panchkula. During this, 3.60 crore cash and gold-silver jewelry hidden in the cupboard and bed were recovered. The cash was so much that the ACB team had to order a machine to count it.
This action of the ACB team was taken in the case of a scam of 50 crores in the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) of Hasanpur in Palwal district. In which funds were allocated by misusing the login ID. After this, fake bills were repeatedly deducted in the name of a firm to show that fund as correct. In this action which started on Monday night, the police have also arrested the clerk and the accountant.
The scam was revealed in the audit report
According to the ACB, the Panchayat Department had complained that some officers were involved in corruption. This was revealed in the audit report of the office director of the Development and Panchayat Department. The Chief Accountant General of the state had submitted a report in this regard.
In which it was said that funds were allocated to the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) of Palwal in the financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25 from the login ID of the Chief Accounts Officer of the department without proper authority and approval.
To show this allocated fund as correct, the BDPO office located in Hasanpur of Palwal district repeatedly prepared fake bills in the name of a private firm M/s Deepak Manpower Service. In this way, a fraud of about Rs 50 crore was done in the department.
Arrests started with the clerk of BDPO office
On this complaint, ACB registered an FIR on January 24. In this, Rakesh Kumar, clerk of BDPO office located in Hasanpur of Palwal district was named. Along with him, the controversial firm M/s Deepak Manpower Service, officers and employees of Hasanpur BDPO office, DDPO office of Palwal, office director of the department and other private people were made accused.
Along with the IT Act 2000, sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act were also imposed against them. After this, taking action, the ACB team arrested Rakesh Kumar on January 25. The team produced the accused in the court and took him on remand till January 31.
Raid at the house of a retired officer in Panchkula
After interrogating the accused, ACB raided Palwal and Panchkula on the night of January 27. During this, the team arrested accused Satpal Singh, who lives in Hodal, Palwal. He is an accountant in the BDPO office of Palwal.
Along with this, the team took action in Panchkula and arrested Shamsher Singh, a retired account officer of the Panchayati Raj Department living in Sector-26. He was posted as Additional Office Director of the department in Chandigarh and retired on November 30, 2024.
Cash worth crores found from cupboards and beds
During the action in Panchkula, ACB also searched the house of the retired officer. During this search, the team recovered a total of 3 crore 65 lakh 36 thousand 300 rupees in cash and gold and silver jewellery worth 6 lakh 65 thousand rupees from cupboards and beds. The team seized them. The team says that one accused is on remand and the other two are being taken on remand. Some accused may also be arrested after interrogating them.
