E-Paper
‘Dead persons given pension’: HC issues contempt notices to director general, principal secretary of social justice department
The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued contempt notices to director general (DG) and principal secretary, department of social justice and empowerment, Haryana, for failure to take action against those involved in alleged disbursal of pension to dead persons in Haryana, nearly a decade ago.
The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued contempt notices to director general (DG) and principal secretary, department of social justice and empowerment, Haryana, for failure to take action against those involved in alleged disbursal of pension to dead persons in Haryana, nearly a decade ago.
“While the state government is directed to examine the instant status report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation and to take appropriate steps, it also seems imperative that the authority, being in breach of an undertaking filed before this court, is prima facie guilty of having committed contempt of an undertaking submitted before this court, for which contempt proceedings ought to be initiated. Even though the above said responsibility would fall upon all the persons who held the office as principal secretary and director general of department of social justice and empowerment, Haryana, during the entire period, however, as a precursor, contempt notices be served upon (these two officers) ,” the bench of justice Vinod S Bhardwaj said.
The court was hearing a plea pending in high court since 2017 filed by one Rakesh Bains, it demanded CBI probe and allegations were that a large scale scam in Haryana took place in which social welfare pensions were disbursed in the name of dead persons by state officials in connivance with local bodies’ elected representatives, across state. Initially, discrepancies were flagged in the CAG report of 2013. The court had ordered preliminary probe in June 2023 after it came to light that authorities have recovered only ₹4.58 crore against the total outstanding of ₹15 crore.
The CBI’s preliminary probe report submitted in high court has recommended that appropriate action needs to be taken against the district social welfare officers for failing to comply with the undertaking given by the government in 2012 on the issue in question promising probe.
The court said that even the report says “a huge amount of money still remains to be recovered” and besides action against the district social and welfare officers it has also recommended criminal action against the persons who had verified and sanctioned disbursement of pension to those who were otherwise ineligible.
“It is evident that despite a period of nearly 12 years of the affidavit being filed by the respondent-state, the authorities are wanting in appropriate action. The breach on the part of the respondent-officials stems from not only a casual approach but also reflects the lack of commitment to comply with the undertaking (before the court),” it remarked, while seeking affidavits from the two officers as to why the contempt proceedings ought not be initiated against them for “having failed to perform their obligations and discharge their undertaking” by March 15.
