Beed: The Beed Zilla Parishad has dismissed two officials and initiated disciplinary action against others after a probe uncovered an alleged Rs 1 crore embezzlement under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Nandurghat village of Kaij tehsil.
Chief Executive Officer Jithin Rahman said Technical Assistant Ravindra Darade and Gram Rozgar Sevak Sadeque Shaikh have been terminated with immediate effect. Show-cause notices have been issued to Village Development Officer (Gram Sevak) Bhagwan Sirsat and Junior Engineer V.M. Sasawade. A proposal has also been sent to the Divisional Commissioner of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar seeking the disqualification of the village sarpanch.
The action follows an inquiry ordered after complaints about irregularities in MGNREGA works in the village. A committee headed by Kaij Panchayat Samiti Block Development Officer (BDO) Vitthal Nagargoje conducted the investigation.
The committee's inspection found that eight roads existed only on paper, leading to the fraudulent withdrawal of nearly ₹59 lakh. Further scrutiny of the financial records revealed that the total amount allegedly embezzled was around ₹1 crore.
The inquiry also found that attendance records of labourers were allegedly manipulated to syphon off government funds. Investigators further discovered that Measurement Books (MBs) for 13 development works were missing. These records are considered crucial for verifying and auditing public works.
The committee held the Gram Sevak and Gram Rozgar Sevak primarily responsible for the alleged fraud.
BDO Vitthal Nagargoje said the administration has started the process of recovering the misappropriated funds from those found responsible. "This is a serious case of financial irregularity. We have initiated the recovery process. If there is any delay in repaying the amount, criminal cases will be registered against those responsible at the local police station," he said.
Officials said the action is among the biggest anti-corruption measures taken in Kaij tehsil in recent years.
