Ludhiana panchayat fund embezzlement scam was much bigger, finds inquiry report

Tribune News Service

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, October 13

Ludhiana panchayat fund embezzlement scam has come out much bigger than Rs 100 crore amount, a government’s inquiry report has found. 

According to the report submitted to Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Laljit Singh Bhullar on Friday, the sarpanches, in connivance with officials and contractors, have withdrawn Rs 120.87 crore from the accounts of the panchayats.

Earlier, the department had pegged the embezzlement at Rs 100 crore.

The 16-page report called it ‘an unauthorised expenditure’ and held responsible four BDPOs, six panchayat secretaries, six sarpanches and an officiating sarpanch besides other officials of the department.

Since the local officials and panchayats refused to give record for the inquiry, the report has recommended that Rs 120.87 crore be recovered from the officials and sarpanches responsible for withdrawing the money. The report has also recommended that the case be handed over to Punjab Vigilance Bureau.

The issue pertains to six villages of Ludhiana district -- Salempur, Salkiana, Bounkar, Gujran, Kadiana Khurd and Dhanansu -- where between 2016-17 and 2020-21, panchayats got Rs 242 crore for acquisition of 986 acres of panchayat land by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority and PSIEC for the Cycle Valley Project.

According to the rules, the money either should have been spent on purchasing land or kept under fixed deposit in bank accounts of the panchayats. However, the money was illegally withdrawn from accounts and spent on dubious works.

The Tribune broke the story about the scam and the inquiry was ordered by minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on August 24.

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