Punjab Vigilance Bureau unearths Rs 4.24 crore scam in cooperative society
Chandigarh, September 5
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has unearthed a multi-crore scam in Kajla Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited, Kajla village, in Nawanshahr district. VB has registered a criminal case against seven persons in this regard and three accused have been arrested.
Disclosing this here today, a VB spokesperson said during investigation, it came to light that the employees and elected representatives of this society had committed embezzlement of Rs 4.24 crore in connivance with each other causing a huge loss to the Coop Society.
He said that secretary Prem Singh, secretary (under suspension) Bhupinder Singh, former president Jaswinder Singh, vice president Harvel Singh, and former members Harjit Singh and Balkar Singh (all residents of Kajla village) and former member Ram Pal of Paddi Matwali village had in connivance with each other committed the fraud.
Giving more details, he informed that there are about 1220 account holders/members in Kajala Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society and it has 2 tractors besides agricultural machinery for cultivation of land. Apart from this, the said society also sells insecticides and pesticides to the members/farmers. Various members of this society have deposited FDRs worth crores of rupees in the society.
He said during checking of the records by the technical team from year 2012-13 to 2017-18, loans taken by the members of the society and deposits of the members amounted to Rs 4.24 crore, which were found to be embezzled.
The spokesperson said a FIR under Sections 408, 420, 465, 467, 468, 477-A, 120-B-IPC and 13(1)A, 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the seven accused at Vigilance Bureau Police Station, Jalandhar. Three accused in this case namely Prem Singh, Bhupinder Singh and Harjit Singh have been arrested.
He informed that the role of other officials/employees involved in this scam would also be probed during the investigation of the case and further investigation of this case was under progress.
