No FIR yet: Police seek more info

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 26

No FIR has still been lodged against the accused in the Rs 27 lakh scam involving a Bhogpur-based cooperative society that came to light around 20 days ago.

The embezzlement in the society had been going on for 2 years i.e. 2015 and 2016, and the records for 2017 and 2018 are still to be checked. Sources said close to 1 crore had been embezzled in the crime.

The complainants from Loharan and nearby villages had come to the SSP (Rural) district headquarters to lodge a complaint against the accused on May 7.

Deputy Registrar (DR) Santokh Lal had sought an FIR against the secretary (accused) as he had been using money deposited by the victims for his personal use.

In the report written to the SSP, he had mentioned that the inquiry was going on and there could be a major increase in the embezzled amount.

Until now, no FIR has been lodged. When contacted, officials in the rural police department said they had sought a reply from the DR on how many others were involved, and what was the role of the committee members.

The officials had sought the report around three-four days ago. When contacted the DR Santokh Lal said would respond to the police enquiry by Monday.

According to the complainants, the account statements of the loan and other accounts were issued by the society, but amounts were never deposited and entries were not made in the account books. The complainants on Monday lodged the complaint against the secretary of the society with the SSP (Rural) Police.

The victims said they had deposited different amounts on different dates with the society in savings bank, loans and FDR accounts. They further alleged that the FDRs and other receipts were issued, but when some of them contacted the society, they found that the receipts were fictitious and amounts were never deposited in their bank accounts and the cooperative bank under which the society worked.

The victims in the scam are Harbhajan Singh (76), Puran Singh (85), Raghubir Singh (79), Malkiat Singh (75), Hardayal Singh (77), Darshan Singh (80), Beant Singh (87), Charanpreet Singh, Manohar Singh (76), Gurnam Singh (67) and Gurbachan Singh (88).

Fact file

The embezzlement in the society had been going on for 2 years i.e. 2015 and 2016, and the records for 2017 and 2018 are still to be checked. Sources said close to 1 crore had been embezzled in the crime. The complainants from Loharan and nearby villages had come to the SSP (Rural) district headquarters to lodge a complaint against the accused on May 7. Deputy Registrar (DR) Santokh Lal had sought an FIR against the secretary (accused) as he had been using money deposited by the victims for his personal use.