Kaithal: 7 accused sent to judicial custody in case of sanitation funds embezzlement

Kaithal, May 31

The seven accused, who were arrested in a case of embezzlement of sanitation funds, have been sent to judicial custody. They were earlier taken on two-day remand and the police recovered money and seized property worth Rs 50 lakh from them.

Other accused, including the Deputy CEO of Zila Parishad, are absconding. “We are making efforts to arrest the Deputy CEO of Zila Parishad as his arrest will help us in getting more leads in this case,” said Inspector Mahinder Singh of the Kaithal Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).

So far, Naveen Kumar, the then SDO and current XEN, JE Jasbir Singh, accountant Kulwant Singh and four contractors — Dilbag Dhull, Rajesh Garg, Anil Garg and Abhay Singh — have been arrested.

He said they were arrested after the complaint of Kaithal MLA Lila Ram, who alleged that in May 2021, Kaithal district received a grant of Rs 31.64 crore for development works in 151 villages. Out of the total grant, 50 per cent of this amount was allocated for sanitation work.

The MLA alleged that the officials, with the help of contractors, embezzled Rs 15.82 crore, 50 per cent of the allotted funds, by producing fake bills, vouchers and other documents. The ACB had registered a case against 15 people.