Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Tuesday arrested Harjit Kaur, sarpanch (village head) of Aakari village in Patiala district for embezzlement in panchayat funds amounting to Rs 12.24 crore in the name of development works in the village.
The Bureau had already registered a FIR, dated May 26, 2022, under sections 406, 420, 409, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the IIndian Penal Code (IPC); and section 13(1) read with 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station Patiala to investigate misappropriation of panchayats funds by various accused.
A VB spokesperson said that PUDA (Punjab Urban Development Authority) had acquired shamlat land, measuring 1104 acres, belonging to five different villages for construction of Amritsar-Kolkata integrated corridor. “In this regard, a total amount of about Rs 285 crores was given to five villages — Pabra, Takhtu Majra, Sehra, Sehri, and Akari in Shambu block of Patiala district. Out of this, a total amount of about Rs 51 crore were received by gram panchayat Akari for their acquired land measuring 183 acres 12 marla,” added the spokesperson.
During the investigation by the VB, it has come to light that accused sarpanch Harjit Kaur initiated development works by using these funds in the village. “But, during the physical checking of these works by the technical team of Bureau, it was found that sarpanch Harjit Kaur had misappropriated the large amount of funds by passing fake resolutions of gram panchayat for fake construction of village pond, community centre, cremation-grave yard, panchayat ghar and berms of a drain. To prove the works as genuine, she also released payments through cheques to the different firms for these works,” said the spokesperson.
Spokesperson revealed that apart from the VB probe, another enquiry regarding these development works by using panchayat funds was completed by the state’s Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner (Rural Development and Panchayats).
The department probe has found that embezzlement amounting to Rs 12.24 crores was committed in the development works by Sarpanch Harjit Kaur in village Akari. Further investigation in this case by the VB is under progress.