Police on the hunt for fraud
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 20 2014 :
Based on a complaint about attempt to fraudulently withdraw cash meant for job card holders of a national scheme, police are reportedly on the look-out for a Lilong Post Office employee, accused of cheque forgery.
The accused employee allegedly changed the names of scheme beneficiaries with fictitious ones in trying to withdraw the amount.
The incident assumes significance as there had been numerous allegations about injudicious implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and duping of job card holders in the State, pointed out an informed source.
It is said that attempt to fraudulently withdraw a total of Rs 6,42,600 came to light when the post Office employee came for the signature of Keirao Makting Zilla Parishad Member to encash the cheque.
Explaining, the source further said two cheque bills for the said amount (Rs 6,42,600) in connection with the execution of road development works under Kshetrigao Zilla Parishad were handed over to the Lilong Post Office employee by a staff of District Rural Development Authority (DRDA).
The first cheque bill of Rs 2,75,400 was for the improvement of road connectivity from Heiningpalli to Bamonpalli and the other for Rs 3,67,200 for similar work executed at Arapti village.
Both the road improvement works were in the programme of the current financial year.
The first cheque was for payment of six days' wages to 300 job card holders and the second meant for distribution to 400 job card holders.
Under prescribed norms the wages were supposed to be withdrawn by the enlisted job card holders through their respective accounts.
Even though the cheque bills handed over to the Post Office personnel by the DRDA staff contained details about the job card holders and the amount besides bill list signed by the CEO concerned, the Lilong Post Office personnel allegedly replaced the entire beneficiaries with names of job card holders of Keirao Makting Zilla Parishad, revealed the source.
Contrary to the original cheque bills containing details of genuine job card holders under Kshetrigao ZP the forged bill list produced before the Keirao Makting ZP member for bill encashment not only had names of the latter ZP's job card holders but also carried forged signature of the CEO.
The post office personnel reportedly tried to extract the Keirao Makting ZP member's signature with the assurance that they share the amount.
Apart from rejecting the unethical proposal the ZP member apprised district authorities including the Deputy Commissioner concerned subsequently resulting in the police taking up a criminal case and launching search for the main accused.
While the accused person continues to evade arrest, wages to the job card holders have been distributed, added the source.