Ludhiana's Rs 100-crore embezzlement scam: Officials not cooperating, recover record from them, Rural Dept writes to police

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, September 10

The Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has approached the police to recover the record related to the Ludhiana Rs 100 crore embezzlement scam from the local panchayat department officials who are not cooperating with the ongoing inquiry.

Funds spent against rules

• Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, panchayats got Rs 242 crore for acquisition of 986 acres of panchayat land by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority and PSIEC for Cycle Valley Project
• As per the rules, the money either should have been spent on purchasing land or kept under fixed deposit account in bank
• However, the money was illegally withdrawn from accounts and spent on dubious works

As per the rules, the money either should have been spent on purchasing land or kept under fixed deposit account in bank. However, the money was illegally withdrawn from accounts and spent on dubious works.

After the issue came into the knowledge of Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Laljit Singh Bhullar, he had ordered an inquiry. The preliminary inquiry had established that a “huge amount” was embezzled. But the inquiry officer had alleged that local officials have not been cooperating and have not provided the record despite repeated attempts.

Taking serious note of the situation, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has written repeatedly to Ludhiana’s Commissioner of Police that search warrants were issued 10 days back under Section 198(2) of Panchyati Raj Act 1994 but three panchayat secretaries of the villages concerned have not submitted the record.

The department further requested the commissioner to instruct the police officials concerned to recover the record from the panchayat secretaries and hand it over to the local officials of the department.

Besides that, the department has also written to Deputy Commissioner Ludhiana to help in getting the record, including statements of withdrawal vouchers from the banks. The department said that the branches of the banks, where the accounts of the six panchayats were opened, have also refused to cooperate in the inquiry.