Faridabad ACB arrests ex-BDPO, contractor in Rs 28 crore embezzlement case

Faridabad, Sep 10 (PTI) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a former Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) and a contractor for allegedly embezzling Rs 28 crore through fake bills, officials said on Wednesday.

The ACB produced both Pooja Sharma, former BDPO, and contractor Hiralal in a city court.

Hiralal was sent into judicial custody while Pooja Sharma was remanded to two days of police custody for questioning, a senior ACB officer said.

Following the FIR, the government suspended Pooja. However, she rejoined her duties after receiving an order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. At the time of her arrest, she was handling the charge of BDPO in Punhana, Nuh district.

According to ACB officials, the FIR was lodged by Yashpal Yadav, the then deputy commissioner of Faridabad, at Sadar Police Station in Ballabgarh in April 2021. The former deputy commissioner had earlier formed a committee to investigate the matter.

The FIR revealed that, between January 2020 and May 2020, former Sarpanch Rani and suspended village secretary Vijaypal of Mujedi village withdrew Rs 2,32,46,767 without approval. Further investigation showed that the panchayat suffered a financial loss of Rs 69,01,936.

It is alleged that the former BDPO, in collusion with acting Sarpanch Brahmapal and village secretary Jogendra, embezzled Rs 22 crore by submitting fake bills for development work that was never carried out. Of this, Rs 17.14 crore was paid to the contractor alone.

The case was transferred to the ACB for investigation in 2023.

The investigation revealed that payments totalling Rs 28 crore were found in the accounts of the contractor and his associated companies. While the Panchayat's account was sealed, the former BDPO allegedly got it reopened at her level.

The probe also uncovered that the former BDPO had received a bribe of Rs 9 lakh for facilitating payment to Rasik Bihari Infratech and Construction Private Limited.

ACB officials also disclosed that the contractor, in connivance with the former BDPO and the then Sarpanch of Mujedi, had committed a fraud of approximately Rs 43 lakh in November 2020 under the pretext of planting trees in the village.

However, trees cannot be planted in November and December, and the bills for the trees were found to be dated after June 2021.

"We are questioning the main accused, who is on two days of remand. Other suspects are also under investigation," said a senior ACB officer. PTI COR HIG HIG