Haryana Lokayukta: Book 5 IAS officers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29

Haryana Lokayukta Justice NK Agarwal (retd) has recommended a criminal case against five IAS officers for their alleged role in the multi-crore MGNREGS “scam” in Ambala. 

In a communication to the Chief Secretary, he has sought “initiation of appropriate action, including registration of a criminal case” against Mohammad Shayin, Samir Pal Srow, Renu Phulia, Sumedha Kataria and RP Bhardwaj, who has retired.

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The Lokayukta has asked the “competent authority” to take action against these IAS officers “on a par” with that taken against nine forest officials, who have been suspended from service and booked. Directing the Khattar government to have the matter probed by a senior police officer, Justice Agarwal has sought an action-taken report (ATR) within three months. It was Panipat-based RTI activist PP Kapoor who had approached the

Lokayukta, demanding an FIR against the bureaucrats and a time-bound probe into the alleged scam during 2007-2010. 

On Jauary 30, 2015, on the orders of the Khattar government, the State Vigilance Bureau (SVB) had registered a case against nine Ambala Forest Department officials, including the then District Forest Officer, for embezzling Rs 4.99 crore meant for developing herbal parks and planting trees.

The SVB report had also said a sum of Rs 25.13 crore was released by the then Ambala DCs and ADCs under the MGNREGS without the requisite administrative and technical approval. Further, instalments were released by these IAS officers without obtaining the monthly progress reports or carrying out on-the-spot inspections. Similarly, Rs 1.7 crore meant for developing nurseries, Rs 1.9 crore for pathways and Rs 15 lakh for works at Mandor and Sahzadpur villages had been embezzled too. 

But no action was taken against the IAS officers. Kataria and Phulia, who were HCS officers when the ‘scam’ took place, were even promoted to the IAS cadre. Irked, activist Kapoor moved the Lokayukta, demanding action against them.