STF to probe irregularities in coop societies of all districts: Haryana CM

Tribune News Service

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, February 28

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced the constitution of a Special Task Force (STF) under the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate irregularities in cooperative societies established in all districts.

Khattar was speaking on a calling attention motion of Congress MLAs Chiranjeev Rao, BB Batra and Kiran Choudhry, INLD MLA Abhay Chautala and others pertaining to a “cooperative project scam where public representatives and government officials allegedly colluded with auditors for personal gains and misused government funds”.

While Rao said the scam would run into hundreds of crores, Chautala asked why did the minister not get an audit done and sought names of those involved. Batra pointed out that SITs were formed for every scam, but no report was ever tabled.

Choudhry insisted on a forensic audit and said the scam had been carried out under “somebody’s protection” while MLA Neeraj Sharma wanted to know the action taken against those involved. MLA Shamsher Gogi said a number of scams had taken place in the government and some MLAs had demanded an inquiry by an independent agency.

“The task force will investigate irregularities from 1992 to date. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty,” Khattar said.

He said so far Rs 328 crore had been allocated to the societies, of which Rs 259 crore had been utilised, and the remaining amount was lying in banks. “The present government had conducted audits of the societies, and upon discovering discrepancies, handed over the matter to the ACB for investigation. The ACB has filed nine FIRs in the case, and irregularities amounting to Rs 8.8 crore had been detected in societies of four districts. Action has been taken against those involved,” he said, adding that properties of various officials and employees had been attached for the recovery of funds.

Cooperation Minister Banwari Lal said the audit work of 14 of 17 projects of the first phase of the ICDP had been completed. The audit work of the first part of two projects of the second phase had also been completed.

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#Manohar Lal Khattar