Ex-sarpanch, gram sachiv siphoned off Rs 7.44 lakh: Inquiry

Rewari, March 15

An inquiry conducted by Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Dharuhera has found former sarpanch of the Aashiyaki Tappa Jadthal gram panchayat and gram sachiv guilty of embezzling Rs 7.44 lakh in the construction of a pathway in the village in 2020.

Taking a serious view of the inquiry report, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ashok Kumar Garg has not only placed the gram sachiv, Rohit Kumar, under suspension with immediate effect but also recommended the issuance of a chargesheet against him. He also directed the SDM, Rewari, to recover the embezzled amount from him and former sarpanch Mahesh Kumar under Section 53 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act 1994.

Sources said the inquiry was conducted on a complaint by a resident of Aashiyaki Tappa Jadthal village, on the CM window, alleging that the public money had been embezzled while constructing the pathway from the house of Neki Ram to Dharam Singh in the village in 2020. Hence, appropriate action should be taken against those who indulged in this misdeed. The DC then marked an inquiry to the BDPO Dharuhera in the matter and asked him to submit a report in this regard.

“The cost of this construction work was shown as Rs 8,37,399 in the papers, while during the inquiry, the cost of the work was evaluated as Rs 92,692, hence the then sarpanch caused a loss of Rs 7,44,777 lakh to the gram panchayat by committing embezzlement, while the involvement of gram sachiv Rohit was also found into the case,” the sources maintained.

Hari Prakash, District Development and Panchayat Officer, said the process to recover the embezzled amount from the former sarpanch and the gram sachiv had been initiated.