Two former Punjab Labour Welfare Board officials held for embezzling over ₹1 crore

An inquiry found Sucha Singh Bandi, former deputy welfare commissioner of the board and Jagdeep Singh Saini, former deputy controller, finance and accounts, guilty of embezzling funds

The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) has arrested two former officials of the Punjab Labour Welfare Board posted at the Mohali office for misappropriation of government funds of over Rs 1 crore.

VB has registered a case against the guilty officials under sections 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code at the Kharar police station (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The two were booked at the Kharar police station, said an official spokesperson of the state VB.

An inquiry found Sucha Singh Bandi, former deputy welfare commissioner of the board and Jagdeep Singh Saini, former deputy controller, finance and accounts, guilty of embezzling funds and causing losses to the exchequer.

Earlier, Hina, an accounts assistant with the board, was arrested by the VB for conniving with Bandi and Saini to misappropriate funds amounting to Rs 1.56 crore via internet banking, the official said.

Hina, a resident of Manav Enclave in Kharar, transferred the money to her accounts and from there to the accounts of her relatives through internet banking. About 172 transactions were made by her to multiple bank accounts, the official added.

VB inquiries revealed that Bandi and Saini had not cross-checked the cash books with the bank transactions, which established that they too had been involved in embezzling the funds.

VB has registered a case against the guilty officials under Sections 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code at the Kharar police station.