Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Special Police Establishment (SPE) Lokayukta, Bhopal probe into the BMC ex-gratia scam has revealed that racketeers within the civic body withdrew Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia payment in the name of a retired IAS officer's deceased son.
On June 13, Lokayukta police in Bhopal registered a case against 17 Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) employees for siphoning ex-gratia and funeral assistance funds meant for the kin of deceased individuals. Out of 118 cases identified, around 90 to 100 involved bogus payments.
'The height of audacity of the racketeers can be gauged from the instance as the funeral assistance amount was withdrawn in the name of a deceased son of a retired IAS officer. In one case, a BMC employee who is alive and well withdrew the ex-gratia in his own name. Funds were also siphoned in the names of a retired teacher, a government employee of Vallabh Bhawan, a gazetted officer, a medical officer, and many others,' said a senior officer.
The investigating officer, DSP Sanjay Shukla, told the Free Press that the case has been registered against 17 BMC employees, including zonal officers, ward in-charges, and daily wage officers. The exact picture of the scam will be revealed once the remaining 95 files, which are pending with the BMC, are reviewed, and statements of the individuals concerned are registered. Around 500 people will be questioned in connection with the scam.
First case came to light in Feb
The scam came to light on February 19 when Mohammad Kamar filed a complaint against the BMC officials stating that he had been declared dead on paper and Rs 2 lakh disbursed in name of providing assistance for his funeral. The BMC also took note of the matter and conducted a departmental inquiry during which 118 such bogus cases were identified. The matter was then handed over to the Lokayukta.
