Around a dozen accused booked under corruption Act by State vigilance bureau

Shimla, Feb 19

About a dozen Government servants, Gram Panchayat Pradhans and Vice Pradhans were booked under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act. In the last three days, under five different graft and misappropriation cases, charge sheets were filed by the state Vigilance and Anticorruption Bureau.

Case 1

A press statement issued by the agency here said that the vigilance has moved charge sheet in two more corruption cases on Thursday.  A Charge sheet was filed against the three accused including Gram Panchayat Pardhan and Junior Engineer before the Court of Special Judge Nahan in Sirmaur district on Feb 18 after obtaining prosecution sanction.

A case was registered in 2012 at Police Station (SV&ACB) Nahan on the allegation that the Pradhan GP Thontha Jakhal had conspired with the Panchayat Assistant and JE, BDO office Paonta Sahib and misappropriated Government money sanctioned for the various development works in the Panchayat.

During the Investigation it was revealed that trio forged vouchers or bills and made false entries in the measurement books to embezzle Government money meant for the development works. To hide up the crime accused also constructed a protection wall from Government funds on behest of Pradhan only to facilitate protection of her own house whereas on papers it was shown to have been constructed elsewhere.

Case 2

Another Charge sheet has been filed against the three others accused before the court of Special Judge Dharamshala in Kangra in a cheating, falsification of records and corruption  case, after obtaining prosecution sanctions.

A case belongs to year 2016 lodged at police station ( SV&ACB) Dharamshala charging  ex Pradhan and the existing Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Khairian on the allegation of misusing Government Funds by the ex Pradhan in constructing a well in his own house through MNREGA funds and construction of road through Government funds to the house of the ex Pradhan through forest land without obtaining NOC of the forest department.

Investigation has revealed that the ex Pradhan in connivance with the then Pradhan, and Secretary of GP Khariyan had constructed a well through MNREGA funds in his own private property and ensured its exclusive use by erecting fence around the well in a way to restrict entry of other people.

Whereas, if the well was to be constructed in a private property with MNREGA funds the land should have been transferred to the Government.

Departmental enquiry has also been recommended under section 142 of HP panchayti Raj Act 1994 for misapplication of Government money for constructing road on forest land without obtaining NOC and for misapplication of Government funds for getting a well constructed in his own property to the exclusion of others.

Case 3

SV&ACB also filed three separate charge sheets during the day before yesterday against the six accused under Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly misappropriation and siphoned public money in the court of Special judge at Mandi and Nahan.

The charge sheet has been filed before the court of Special Judge Mandi on  Feb 16 this year against the contractor and his cousin brother for misappropriation and illegal diversion of Government cement. Recommendations has also been made to HP PWD for deregistering the accused contractor.

The agency claimed that during a surprise check conducted by the Bureau in Dec 2019, Government cement bags both filled and unfilled were recovered from a private construction site in Sundernagar on the basis of which FIR was registered at PS SV&ACB Mandi. Investigation revealed that the Government cement bags were issued to a PWD contractor but he misappropriated the same and gave it to his cousin brother who was using it for construction of his house.

Case 4

On the same day Charge sheet also filed against three people before the Court of Special Judge Mandi for cheating and falsification of record after obtaining the Prosecution Sanction.

The agency has registered FIR in 2014 at Police Station (SV&ACB) Mandi on the allegation that President, Krishak Vikas Sangh had embezzled Government money while executing the construction work of water harvesting structure cum field irrigation channel at Jol, Joginder Nagar with the help of JE Soil Conservation.

Investigation here disclosed, that fake quotations were prepared for supply of material for the above construction by the JE in connivance with the President and General Secretary of the Krishak Vikas Sangh.

Case 5

Agency also moved third charge sheet yesterday against Junior Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Public works Department in case of cheating, misappropriation, corruption and falsification of record before the Court of Special Judge Nahan after obtaining prosecution sanction.

This case was registered at Police Station (SV&ACB) Nahan in 2017 booking accused JE for embezzling Government money by tempering official records. During course of investigation it was revealed in the case that the official was looking after the work of bill clerk to process medical reimbursement bills, TA Bills, GPF and leave encashment bills of the staff of  HP PWD Nahan.  The accused official manipulated token registers, prepared false bills and instead of transferring the amount in the accounts of the employees, fraudulently transferred the same in his Bank account.

Investigation revealed that he had siphoned of about Rs 10 Lakh in his own account during 2016 to 2018 through the above modus operandi .