Lokpal flags Rs 56L embezzlement in school wall work at Sultanpur Lodhi

The Lokpal, Rural Development and Panchayat Department, Kapurthala, has highlighted the embezzlement of Rs 56 lakh funds meant for a school's boundary wall at Sultanpur Lodhi.

A vendor listed under the name of Khalsa Building Material Store was found to be fake during a social audit team's probe at Sultanpur Lodhi.

Jaswinder Singh, Lokpal, Rural Development and Panchayat Department, has taken suo motu cognizance of the issue.

During a gram sabha meeting at village Jabosudhar at Sultanpur Lodhi, the social audit team termed Khalsa Building Material Store's (the vendor for the village school's boundary wall) bill for the boundary wall work to be fraudulent.

Both bill of the store and the store's GST number have been found to fake as per the audit, the Lokpal said.

In a statement, the office of the Lokpal has sought action against those accused of the embezzlement.

The Lokpal alleged MGNREGA worker Kuldeep Singh of village Saidpur was registered as the vendor for Khalsa Building Material Store.

The Lokpal further alleged fraudulent bill of bricks, more than estimated bricks needed for the construction of the boundary wall work of the Jabosudhar school, was passed.

The Lokpal alleged funds were transferred from the bank account of Khalsa Building Material Store to the accounts of Karminder Singh Happy (Gram Rozgar Sewak) to the tune of Rs 10 lakh and to his father account to the tune of Rs 25 lakh. Karminder Happy's wife's account also received Rs 22.63 lakh from the same building materials store account and Rs 4 lakh was transferred from Karminder Happy's father's account to Charanjit's account, APO, Sultanpur Lodhi, .

Lokpal Jaswinder Singh said the men acted together to misappropriate government funds.

The Lokpal has written to Administrative Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Department, Punjab, and sought legal action against Karminder Singh Happy, his father, wife and Charanjit Singh, APO, Sultanpur Lodhi.

He has also sought the recovery of the embezzled amount.

The Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development , Punjab and GST Department, Punjab, have also been petitioned for action against them.