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Time of India
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ludhiana DDPO ordered to file FIRs against 4 BDPOs, 6 panchayat secys in Rs 121 crore embezzlement scam case
Ludhiana: As the Punjab rural development department suspended three officials in connection with an alleged Rs 121 crore embezzlement involving six village panchayats of Ludhiana, the administrative secretary has "ordered" the District Development Panchayat Officer (DDPO) to get an FIR registered against BDPOs and panchayat secretaries. On Monday, administrative secretary Ajit Balaji Joshi suspended block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) Rupinderjit Kaur and senior executive officers (SEPOs) Simrat Kaur and Gurpreet Singh Mangat, pending further inquiry under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970. The action followed an inquiry initiated in October 2023 by Punjab rural development and panchayats minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, after reports surfaced of suspicious withdrawals from fixed deposits meant for village development in six panchayats (Salempur, Sekhewal, Selkiana, Bounkar Gujran, Kadiana Khurd, and Dhanansu) under Ludhiana Block 2. DDPO Ludhiana Navdeep Kaur confirmed that she received a letter from the administrative secretary of the department ordering her to get an FIR registered against four BDPOs: Rupinderjit Kaur, Gurpreet Singh, Gurpreet Singh Mangat, and Simrat Kaur, and six Panchayat Secretaries: Gurmail Singh (now retired), Harpal Singh Randhawa, Bagga Singh, Jashandeep Chandel, Harpal Singh Sahjomajra, and Harjit Singh Malhotra. She added that she is writing to the Ludhiana police commissioner to register an FIR against the four officers and six Panchayat Secretaries. An official in the DDPO office said that police are expected to register a case of fraud and start a probe into the matter. The official added that the detailed probe will reveal the financial fraud by each of these officials. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo An official of the DDPO office further said that after they learn about the embezzlement by each of the officials involved, the recovery process will start from their personal assets. The official added that recoveries will be made from the Sarpanches of the villages who were ordered to be charge-sheeted. Those identified were Sudagar Singh (Dhanansu), Neha (Salempur), Amrik Kaur (Sekhewal), Mukhtiar Singh (Bounkar Gujran), Harpreet Kaur (Selkiana), and Rajinder Kaur (Kadiana Khurd), besides officiating Panch of Bounkar Gujran village, Gurcharan Singh. Sources in the DDPO office said that BDPOs and Panchayat Secretaries face allegations of diluting the Fixed Deposits, which they were not supposed to do, besides embezzling huge sums of public money. They added that the officials also face allegations of non-production of records and unauthorised expenditures. Sources further said that during the preliminary probe, the DDPO found a surprising case in Sekhewal village, which, as per the 2011 census, has a population of 260. However, according to the bank transaction statement, around Rs 10 crore were withdrawn from the panchayat account for development works. They added that the initial probe also discovered that nearly 58 houses were allegedly built without any departmental policy and approval by the village Dhanansu panchayat, and no record was allegedly furnished in this regard. **Box 1:** As per reports, panchayats of villages Salempur, Sekhewal, Selkiana, Bounkar Gujran, Kadiana Khurd, and Dhanansu of block Ludhiana-2 received an award of Rs 252.94 crore after the acquisition of hundreds of acres of panchayat land of these villages between the financial years 2016-17 to 2020-21. However, Rs 120.87 crore were withdrawn from this amount with the connivance of some corrupt officers and employees along with Sarpanches. Total award money in lieu of acquisition of village common land of six villages: Rs 242 crore Amount received by village (approximate): - Dhanansu: Rs 95 crore - Salempur: Rs 5 crore - Kadiana Khurd: Rs 35 crore - Sekhewal: Rs 77 crore - Selkiana: Rs 4 crore - Bounkar Gujran: Rs 25 crore **Box 2:** As per the norms, panchayats had to deposit the land acquisition compensation as a fixed deposit (FD) and execute village development works using only the interest generated from it. However, as per the report, in violation of norms, the money was withdrawn from fixed deposits. MSID:: 120551828 413 |
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Ludhiana block officers suspended in panchayat award money embezzlement case
Ludhiana: More than a year after a local inquiry flagged large-scale financial irregularities, Punjab's rural development department has suspended three officials in connection with an alleged ₹121 crore embezzlement involving six village panchayats in this district. Administrative secretary Ajit Balaji Joshi on Monday confirmed the suspension of block development and panchayat Officer (BDPO) Rupinderjit Kaur and senior executive officers (SEPOs) Simrat Kaur and Gurpreet Singh Mangat, pending further inquiry under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970. The action follows an inquiry initiated in Oct 2023 by Punjab rural development and panchayats minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, after reports surfaced of suspicious withdrawals from fixed deposits meant for village development in six panchayats under Ludhiana Block 2. The panchayats—Salempur, Sekhewal, Selkiana, Bounkar Gujran, Kadiana Khurd, and Dhanansu—allegedly misused land compensation funds totaling ₹120.87 crore, disbursed between 2016–2021 after land acquisitions for industrial projects and private development. Inquiry paused, then revived by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] - 2025 Top Trending Search - Local network access Esseps Learn More Undo While a district-level inquiry conducted by the district development and panchayat office (DDPO) had recommended action against at least four BDPOs and several sarpanches initially, the state's investigation was stalled earlier this year. A retired IAS officer, R C Nayyar, had been appointed to lead the investigation, but proceedings were paused unexpectedly in Feb. Joshi now says the inquiry is being reopened and recovery proceedings will follow. "This is a case of fraud. The govt is clear — action will be taken against all those responsible," he told the TOI, confirming that action against sarpanches and panchayat secretaries was also in progress. What the rules say Under existing norms, panchayats receiving land compensation are required to place the funds in fixed deposits and use only the interest accrued for development activities. However, in violation of this rule, the funds were reportedly withdrawn directly from the principal amounts, without prior departmental approval. A senior official involved in the inquiry stated that these withdrawals appeared to be carried out with the "connivance" of panchayat leaders and rural development staff. The DDPO report had recommended lodging FIRs and had triggered a vigilance probe. "The system was clear — use interest, not principal. Instead, fixed deposits were liquidated without approval. This isn't negligence; it's organised misuse," said an official on condition of anonymity. Broader accountability The Oct 2023 directive from Minister Bhullar also called for chargesheets against BDPOs Rupinderjit Kaur, Simrat Kaur, Gurpreet Singh Mangat, and Gurpreet Singh, along with multiple panchayat secretaries and sarpanches. Officials say the suspended officers may also face further departmental action after the inquiry concludes. It continues amid growing calls for transparency and criminal accountability in the handling of public development funds in rural Punjab. MSID:: 120516297 413 |
