BDO, others booked for misappropriation of funds under MGNREGA in Poonch

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau registered a case against several officials of the rural development department, particularly the former block development officer (BDO) on Friday in the Poonch district for misappropriation of funds worth about Rs 2 lakh, a spokesman said.
The FIR was registered against former BDO Aftab Ahmed and the then officials of the Department of Rural Development at Mendhar on the basis of a verification conducted into the allegations of misappropriation of government funds to the tune of over Rs 1.83 lakh pertaining to the non-existent works incurring loss to the state exchequer, he said.
The probe was conducted regarding works executed under MGNREGA by the department for the financial years 2018-19 in Galhuta-Kangra. It revealed that the officers and officials abused their official position and, in furtherance of a well knit conspiracy hatched amongst themselves and the beneficiaries, released excess labour payment in respect of the works of construction at Mohalla Shabab, he said.
“By acting in this manner, the officers/officials of RDD Block Mendhar have misappropriated Rs 1,83,745, Rs 1,16,041 as excess payment and Rs 67,704/- for the non-existent works thus conferred undue benefit upon themselves and the beneficiaries with corresponding wrongful loss to the state exchequer. These omissions and commissions on the part of officers and officials of RDD Block Mendhar namely Aftab Ahmed, then BDO Mendhar and other officials of Rural Development Department, Block Mendhar in connivance with the beneficiaries (job card holders) prima facie constitutes offences punishable under Section 5(1)(c)(d) r/w 5(2) J&K PC Act, 2006 and Section 120-B RPC”, an official statement added.
Further investigation in the case is going on.