Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): A weird case was reported at a village in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district. Here, dead worked under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and their ghosts withdrew the daily wages! Horrific, it might sound, the probe revealed that these ghosts were created by some scamsters, including the village sarpanch and other panchayat members.
An FIR has been lodged against Sarpanch Punnu Kol, Deputy Sarpanch Rajendra Yadav, Secretary Devshree Yadav for their alleged involvement in the scam. The accused withdrew the MNREGA wages by declaring the dead labourers as alive.
According to information, the truth unfolded after the Economic Offenses Wing investigated a complaint. The reports found manipulation of records in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Fake attendance of the deceased was recorded in the master roll.
While the Deputy Sarpanch's mother and wife were given illegal benefits under government schemes.
According to the EOW's report, the accused committed fraud and conspiracy while misusing their position. They have been booked under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged documents), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and relevant sections of the Corruption Act.
The matter has now been taken under investigation by EOW Jabalpur for a thorough probe in the matter.
