Rs1.80 crore embezzled at Ferozepur BDPO office

The Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has constituted a two-member team comprising Deputy Director (Panchayat), Patiala, and District Development and Panchayat Officer, Bhatinda, to inquire into alleged embezzlement of Rs 1.80 crore in the Block Development Panchayat Office in Ferozepur.

Additional Secretary Paramjit Singh recently ordered the team to take into possession all relevant documents and submit their report after ascertaining all facts in this regard.

According to information, a few officials from the BDPO office allegedly made unauthorised transactions worth Rs 1,80,87,591 to a contractor who owns an interlocking tiles factory in Mamdot, Ferozepur, by using digital signature certificate (DSC) of another BDPO-rank official after her transfer.

The matter came to fore after Lakhwinder Singh Randhawa, Additional Deputy Commissioner (D), wrote to the incumbent BDPO and sought explanation regarding the transaction of Rs 1.80 crore by using the DSC of previous BDPO Kirandeep Kaur, who was transferred on January 1. After her relocation, the charge of the BDPO remained with two other officers at different period.

As per the letter, the incumbent BDPO did not take any action against the accused even after the matter came into his knowledge. The ADC has asked the BDPO to give explanation or face disciplinary action. The transactions took place from May 26 to June 23.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official said it was shocking to learn that the DSC of a transferred official was being used by others.

BDPO Gurdial Singh said he had recently joined and was not much aware about the matter. “An inter-department investigation is going on to find the accused regarding whom a complaint has been submitted to the police,” said Gurdial.