Ex-BDO,mukhiya held in Rs 40-lakh IAY scam

The police in Araria have unearthed a scam pertaining to the Indira Awas Yojna that may run into several crores of rupees

The police in Araria have unearthed a scam pertaining to the Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) that may run into several crores of rupees. A former block development officer and a mukhiya have been arrested for allegedly siphoning off Rs 40 lakh Central fund that was allotted for 400 flood-ravaged families of Jokihaat to build or repair Indira Awas houses in 2004.

The police,also investigating 74 more IAY cases for alleged fraud to the tune of crores of rupees by way of construction of Indira Awas houses only on paper,are now looking for over two dozen government officials,including additional district magistrate Radha Mohan Ram,now posted at Ranchi,then Jokihaat block development officer Ramesh Jha,assistant engineer Vinod Paswan,additional collector Shamim Akhtar and child development programme officer Sunita Kumari. Besides Ram,others have not taken their postings after being shifted from Araria and are wanted in IAY cases lodged at several police stations between 2007 and 2009.

Araria superintendent of police Shivdeep Waman Lande said,We have arrested then Jokihaat BDO,now retired,Firoze Naim,from his Patna residence and mukhiya Imran Sadir,also from Patna,in connection with a Jokihaat police station case (FIR no. 208/ 2007). The fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 40 lakh took place in 2004. The case was registered in 2007 after a Central government report.

Story continues below this ad

The SP said the Centre gave 40 lakh Rs 10,000 each for 400 families of Chirha panchayat under Jokhaat to repair and construct IAY houses. The then BDO allegedly entered fake names in logbook and put fake thumb impressions to withdraw the money. B K Gupta,the national monitor of Union Rural Development Ministry,visited Jokihaat and sent his report saying that the BDO was the prime suspect in fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 40 lakh Central fund. An FIR was lodged at Jokihaat police station on basis of this report by then BDO Ramesh Jha,now himself wanted in seven IAY cases.

The police will soon send a team to Ranchi to arrest ADM Ram. Of the 74 pending IAY cases,chargesheets have been filed in 29 cases.

SP leader Azam Khan walks out of jail after 23 months, hundreds of supporters welcome him

Cities11 min ago

Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, who is facing multiple cases, walked out of the Sitapur jail today after 23 months. He was scheduled to be released early Tuesday morning, but it was delayed due to impending court proceedings. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the Sitapur jail, waiting for the SP leader to walk out of prison.

View all shorts

Live Blog