Rs 100 crore cooperative scam : Fund used to buy land in Sirsa, Kurukshetra, flats in Zirakpur; peon too got money

Tribune News Service

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, February 3

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigations have revealed that fund allocated under the Integrated Cooperative Development Project (ICDP) in Rewari was allegedly used by accused in buying land parcels in Sirsa and Kurukshetra, and flats in Zirakpur.

At the centre of the Rs 100 crore scam is Anu Kaushish, Assistant Registrar Cooperative Societies, who was then posted as General Manager ICDP, Rewari. So far, 10 FIRs -- four in Gurugram, and three each in Ambala and Karnal -- have been registered in connection with the case.

10 FIRs LODGED

• Anu Kaushish, Assistant Registrar Cooperative Societies, is the main accused in the Rs 100 crore scam
• Kaushish was earlier posted as General Manager ICDP, Rewari.
• 10 FIRs — four in Gurugram, and three each in Ambala and Karnal — have been registered in connection with the scam
• Another key accused Stalian Jeet is director of Banbridge Constructions Pvt Ltd, Bantam Overseas Pvt Ltd, Bantam India Limited, Loadlink Systems Pvt Ltd and Laybay India Limited

Another key accused Stalian Jeet is director of Banbridge Constructions Pvt Ltd, Bantam Overseas Pvt Ltd, Bantam India Limited, Loadlink Systems Pvt Ltd and Laybay India Limited.

As per FIR no. 21 lodged in Gurugram in 2023, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) had sanctioned money under ICDP for development of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) in Rewari. From 2017-18 to 2020-21, Rs 22.15 crore was received through the state government. Out of which, Rs 15.67 crore was spent. Firms that were hired in violation of rules paid kickback to Kaushish and her family.

It has come out that the ICDP Rewari was operational till March 31, 2022, but Rs 25 lakh was paid for construction works to Banbridge Constructions on July 26, 2022. Bantam India was paid Rs 46.10 lakh for purchase of computers, internet modems and printers. The firm was also paid Rs 32.13 lakh for training members of PACS which was not given, though payments were made on bogus bills.

Laybay India was paid Rs 24.82 lakh for CCTV cameras and laptops for PACS. Loadlink Systems received Rs 10.97 lakh for computers and printers. In total, the Kaushish family received Rs 55.30 lakh in their bank accounts from Bantam India, Laybay India, Loadlink Systems and Banbridge Constructions, according to the FIR.

Vijay Singh was employed as a development officer in violation of rules and his firm Saral Cooperative was paid Rs 15 lakh. Self Help Groups were paid lakhs without permission.

Narender Singh, employed as peon on contract, received Rs 8.23 lakh from 2019 to 2022 “inappropriately” in collusion with Kaushish. He also received Rs 3.60 lakh in Manav Uthan Society opened in his family’s name.

In Tatarpur PACS, no record of expenditure of Rs 40.20 lakh was found. There is no provision for taking TA/DA in ICDP despite that officials grabbed it in lakhs. FDs of Rs 21.94 crore were executed in different banks in violation of rules and interest was siphoned off by officials.

As per FIR no. 22 and 23 filed in Gurugram last year, the ACB detected a transfer of Rs 43.08 lakh from ICDP Rewari bank account towards buying a flat in SRK Apartments, Zirakpur, in the name of GM ICDP Yogendra Aggarwal. The payment was made in 2018. Accountant Sumit Aggarwal and Development Officer Nitin Sharma were also involved in it. In 2019, Rs 45.50 lakh was transferred from the ICDP towards buying a flat in SRK Apartments in name of Nitin Sharma and Rachna Aggarwal, the wife of Yiogendra Aggarwal.

As per FIR 29 also filed at Gurugram, Kaushish withdrew Rs 4 crore after the ICDP period was over. This was transferred to different people, and share of Rs 54.60 lakh was paid back to the Kaushish family. Out of this, land worth Rs 1.22 crore was purchased in Sirsa for Kaushish. Also, Rs 60 lakh was diverted for purchase of a plot for Assistant Registrar Cooperative Society Ram Kumar in Kurukshetra.

Besides, Stalian’s first wife Poonam received Rs 28.93 lakh, second wife Kanwaljeet got Rs 50 lakh, Jago Printing Press received Rs 50 lakh and Banbridge Constructions Rs 45 lakh, the FIR stated.

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