Inquiring into alleged rip-off of disbursal of social safety pension to the useless/ineligible folks in Haryana, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its report has made some damning remarks about Haryana authorities to cope with the rip-off, stating that the state police inquiry (into FIR No. 46/2017) was “discovered to be perfunctory” and “no corrective actions have been taken by the District Social Welfare Officers (DSWOs) or the state to handle the widespread rip-off of distribution of pension to useless/ineligible individuals all through Haryana state”.
The CBI submitted its report earlier than the Punjab and Haryana Excessive Court docket after the HC had requested it to conduct an investigation into the alleged rip-off.
The report was submitted by Pawan Kumar, Enquiry Officer/Inspector, CBI, by means of counsel, Ravi Kamal Gupta, earlier than a bench of Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj.
The excessive court docket was listening to a petition filed by Rakesh Bains and one other, by means of Advocate Pardeep Kumar Rapria.
“Enquiry has revealed fraudulent disbursement of pension to beneficiaries in jurisdictions of municipal committees chosen as samples. Thus, an in depth verification course of is required to find out the extent of pension funds made after loss of life, together with restoration efforts,” said the CBI report.
The CBI additional beneficial that district-wise instances be registered by state Vigilance/Financial Offences Department/ACB of Haryana for an intensive investigation into the fraudulent distribution of pensions, if any criminality discovered pursuant to such detailed verification.
The CBI mentioned that the enquiry qua FIR No. 46/2017, registered on January 28, 2017, at Shahbad police station, revealed that the mentioned FIR was registered below IPC sections 409 and 420 in opposition to the employees of Municipal Committee, Shahbad, on a grievance of DSWO, Kurukshetra. The grievance was in opposition to officers of Municipal Committee and one former councillor. Nevertheless, the grievance was later modified to be lodged solely in opposition to Municipal Committee and after completion of the investigation, a chargesheet was filed below sections 409 and 420 of IPC within the Court docket of SDJM, Shahbad, in opposition to Yashpal, the then sewadar (peon), and Ashwani, the then clerk, each posted at MC Shahbad, Kurukshetra.
“The investigation of the aforesaid FIR had concluded that no different public servant was discovered to have dedicated any irregularities within the disbursement of pension…Due to this fact, the investigation carried out by the state police in regards to the pension distribution rip-off involving wrongful funds made to deceased pensioners in Shahbad, Kurukshetra, seems to be perfunctory as the complete duty is laid on Ashwani Kumar, clerk, and Yashpal, peon. Nevertheless, the enquiry means that the then councillors signed the APRs (Precise Fee Receipts) in token of getting recognized pension beneficiaries, lots of whom have been already deceased,” the CBI report talked about, including that “signing the APRs with out correct verification led to false certification of funds to deceased people”.
The CBI enquiry additional revealed that as per chargesheet of native police, “wrongful cost disbursed within the identify of useless pensioners to the tune of Rs 13,45,725 (together with 12% curiosity) was recovered by councillors from the households of useless beneficiaries however these beneficiaries have been examined throughout investigation of FIR 46/2017… revealing that they neither received such pension nor effected any restoration…Thus the investigation carried out by the state police in reference to FIR No. 46/2017 was perfunctory and insufficient in a number of respects”, mentioned the report.
On enquiry concerning the bogus declare, the CBI has revealed that “the difficulty of fraudulent disbursement of pensions will not be confined to Shahbad Municipal Committee alone. Comparable irregularities have been present in different areas, the place pensions continued to be drawn within the names of deceased beneficiaries. Particularly, within the Municipal Committees of Pehowa, Ladwa, and Thanesar, a number of instances of pension disbursement after loss of life have been recognized…Enquiry revealed that pension of the beneficiaries was not stopped instantly after their loss of life and identical have been stopped after lapses of multiple month…An intensive verification is required…”.
The CBI earlier in its preliminary report submitted earlier than the excessive court docket had beneficial taking disciplinary motion in opposition to the erring officers.
As per the petitioner, despite the fact that the respondent (state) had itself, in its response, acknowledged that as many as 14,000 unlawful beneficiaries have been recognized in Haryana and had assured initiation of acceptable measures for effecting restoration and likewise for taking efficient steps in opposition to the folks criminally concerned, no motion has been taken to this point.
The court docket adjourned the matter to January 24.
