During the investigation into the pension scam on Tuesday, beneficiaries from Khairwa village revealed the names of several middlemen to the Barhet police.
In the presence of the Khairwa village Panchayat Sevak, local old-age pension beneficiaries—including Nasim Ansari, Mahesh Thakur, Zainul Ansari, Jamshed Ansari, Abid Ansari, and Manoj Thakur—informed the Barhet police that Murtaza Ansari from Barhet had facilitated the benefits for them.
**₹12,000 Charged to Secure Scheme Approval**
They were told about a government scheme offering a monthly pension of ₹1,000, prompting them to hand over their Aadhaar cards and other documents.
The beneficiaries stated that ₹12,000 was charged to get the scheme approved. After the matter came to light, the middleman, Murtaza Ansari, visited the villagers and urged them not to mention his name, asking them to name someone else instead. Additionally, Parvez Alam from Khairwa village revealed the name of a middleman from Chhuchi village. **Most Middlemen Go Underground After Being Named**
Ayub Ansari and Ahmad Ansari reported that a middleman from Sonajori village had them fill out forms and charged them ₹12,000 in return; however, they received the pension amount for only one or two months.
The Barhet police have obtained written statements from all the beneficiaries. Meanwhile, most of the middlemen have gone underground after their names surfaced, even switching off their mobile phones. Nevertheless, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is conducting a vigorous investigation.
