Beed: ₹1.03 Crore MGNREGA Scam Unearthed In Nandurghat

Beed: In a major crackdown on alleged financial irregularities, a government inquiry has uncovered an embezzlement of more than ₹1.03 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) at Nandurghat Gram Panchayat in Kaij tehsil.

Following an administrative ultimatum, Kaij police registered a criminal case late Friday night against a Gram Panchayat officer and a Village Employment Assistant for failing to deposit their respective shares of the misappropriated amount, totalling ₹58.51 lakh.

The irregularities came to light after senior district authorities ordered an inquiry following repeated complaints of large-scale financial discrepancies in development works carried out under MGNREGA.

A special inquiry committee conducted an on-site inspection and financial audit, uncovering alleged diversion of public funds totalling ₹1,03,89,480. The committee held five persons responsible for the irregularities — the village sarpanch, Gram Panchayat officer, Village Employment Assistant (Gram Rozgar Sahayak), Sectional Engineer and Technical Officer.

The Chief Executive Officer subsequently issued show-cause notices directing all five to deposit their respective shares of the allegedly misappropriated funds into the government account within eight days or face criminal prosecution.

Facing possible police action, three of the five deposited a combined ₹45,37,899. Sarpanch Sunita Yuvraj Jadhav deposited ₹33,15,147, Technical Officer RR Darade paid ₹8,07,599 and Sectional Engineer VM Saswade deposited ₹4,15,153.

However, Gram Panchayat Officer Bhagwan Yadav Sirsat and Village Employment Assistant Sadek Dilawar Shaikh failed to comply within the stipulated period. Sirsat had an outstanding amount of ₹25,36,434, while Shaikh owed ₹33,15,147.

Following their failure to deposit the cumulative ₹58,51,581, Vijaykumar Rambhau Maske, Extension Officer at Kaij Panchayat Samiti, lodged a complaint with the police.

Acting on the complaint, Kaij police registered an FIR late Friday night against Sirsat and Shaikh under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning criminal breach of trust, cheating and fraud.

Under the supervision of Police Inspector Rahul Suryatal, Police Sub-Inspector Balasaheb Rode is conducting further investigation to trace the financial trail and arrest the accused.