E-Paper
Chandigarh: Gandhi Smarak Bhawan’s in-charge among 15 booked for pilfering funds
The bhawan’s in-charge redirected the funds into the account of an unauthorised trust with a similar – Gandhi Samarak Nidhi, also registered at the address of the Sector-16 bhawan, the complainant said
Police have booked 15 people, including the in-charge of Gandhi Smarak Bhawan in Sector 16, for misappropriating the sponsorship funds received by the centre on Gandhi Jayanti last year.
Anand Kumar Sharan, secretary of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, had filed a complaint in this regard to UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit and Chandigarh Police.
Sharan detailed that on Gandhi Jayanti in October 2, 2022, a function was organised at the bhawan, where the UT administrator was also present.
On the occasion, the bhawan received sponsorship funds from various bodies.
But the bhawan’s in-charge Devraj Tyagi redirected the funds into the account of an unauthorised trust with a similar – Gandhi Samarak Nidhi, also registered at the address of the Sector-16 bhawan.
He alleged that Devraj, along with his family, was illegally residing on the bhawan premises.
Sharan further alleged that with the aid of his wife, Kanchan Tyagi, son Mudit Tyagi and daughter-in-law Aksha Raina, Devraj had got registered many other firms/societies at the bhawan’s address and they were illegally running them from the premises by projecting themselves are owners of the property.
They had found a copy of one such letter carrying the letterhead of “Prakirtik Chikitsa Samiti, Chandigarh”, wherein he had addressed himself as Dr Dev Raj Tyagi, secretary, and MP Dogra had been listed as the chairman. Dogra is also an employee of the trust and works as a naturopathy doctor on contract basis.
The complainant said Devraj was previously also found to have registered a trust/society with a similar name, but was able to continue his services after tendering an unconditional apology.
Following a fact-finding inquiry last year, Devraj’s contractual services were terminated on October 16. Six other employees at the bhawan were also issued show-cause notices on October 26.
Acting on Sharan’s complaint, the Sector-17 police have lodged a cheating FIR against Devraj, his wife, son and daughter-in-law, along with 11 more accused — Anand Rao, Papia Chakraberty, Vicky, Amit Kumar, Mohinder, Rama Devi and MP Dogra, all employees of the bhawan, and Bhupinder Sharma of Sector 43, who is a journalist, Naresh Sharma of Sector 16, and Ishwar Aggarwal and Yogesh Bahl, both residents of Sector 15.
