In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a case against officials of Nabha Municipal Council (MC) and a contractor for the embezzlement of Rs 1.84 crores (1,84,45,551). The funds, meant for the Pradhan Mantri Shehri Awaas Yojna (PMSAY) under the ‘House for All’ scheme, were misappropriated through fraudulent means.
An official spokesperson from the VB on Friday said that a meticulous investigation revealed substantial financial discrepancies dating back to 2018. During this period, MC Nabha had received considerable funds under the PMSAY initiative, aimed at providing housing for all. However, a detailed probe uncovered that the officials, in collusion with the contractor, fabricated fake bills for development works, siphoning off the allocated funds over just six days, from November 1 to 6, 2018.
“It was discovered that no actual development work was carried out with the funds…Instead, the accused individuals manipulated records to falsely depict development activities, thereby diverting the funds intended for the housing scheme,” stated the spokesperson.
The investigation identified a series of fraudulent transactions and fake billing processes used to create an illusion of legitimate expenditure on development projects. The spokesperson highlighted that this deceptive practice not only betrayed the trust of the beneficiaries but also undermined the integrity of the government's housing initiative.
Based on the findings of the probe, the VB has lodged an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case, registered on July 18, 2024, includes charges under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, along with sections 13(1)(A) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The spokesperson assured that further investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of the embezzlement and to identify all individuals involved in this fraudulent scheme. “The Vigilance Bureau is committed to bringing all culprits to justice and ensuring that such malpractices are thoroughly eradicated from the system,” he added.