Haryana ACB busts Rs 100 crore scam in Integrated Cooperative Development Project; 14 arrested

Chandigarh, February 2

Haryana’s Anti-Corruption Bureau has busted a major scam in the Integrated Cooperative Development Project, unearthing a Rs 100-crore “corruption racket”, according to an official statement on Friday.

Fourteen persons, including 10 senior officers and four private individuals, have been arrested for their involvement in the alleged scam, it said.

“The ACB team, upon investigation, exposed a Rs 100-crore scam within the Integrated Cooperative Development Project,” said the statement, quoting a government spokesperson.

Haryana’s Cooperation Department operates the Integrated Cooperative Development Project, focusing on development in rural and agricultural areas through various programmes and the development of cooperative societies, the spokesperson said.

Some assistant registrars and district registrars of cooperative societies, colluding with an auditor, misappropriated funds for personal gain, the statement said.

“They misused government funds deposited in official accounts to purchase flats, land, and other assets, etc. These officials further attempted to cover their tracks by forging government documents and bank details,” the spokesperson said in the release.

“A thorough investigation is under way. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the law in Karnal and Ambala Range (of the ACB). Six gazetted officers, four additional staff from ICDP Rewari, and four private individuals were apprehended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau during their thorough investigation,” he said.

Meanwhile, ACB Director-General Shatrujeet Kapur, who is also the state police chief, emphasised the bureau’s commitment to taking action against the culprits with complete transparency and impartiality, asserting that the department’s campaign against corruption will continue.