E-Paper
Ex-sarpanch booked for ‘embezzlement’ of panchayat funds
The case was lodged on the basis of a formal complaint by the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), who also recommended departmental action against the village development officer, Harminder Singh.
The Doraha police on Monday registered a case against former sarpanch of Bhathal village, Paramjeet Kaur, for alleged embezzlement of panchayat funds during her tenure from 2019 to 2024. The case was lodged on the basis of a formal complaint by the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), who also recommended departmental action against the village development officer, Harminder Singh.
According to the police, the FIR was registered after an inquiry into a complaint filed by Mandeep Singh Bhathal, the social media in-charge of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who had raised allegations of misappropriation of nearly ₹79 lakh in development grants received by the village during the former sarpanch’s term.
Bhathal alleged that nearly 700 fully grown trees were illegally felled on panchayat land without any approval. He further claimed that ₹8 lakh was withdrawn for undocumented expenses, and that although records showed 30 solar streetlights were installed in the village, not a single one could be found on the ground.
Irregularities were also flagged in the reported development of the village cremation ground, playground, sewerage system, fish farm, and Anganwadi centre. The DDPO report confirmed that both Paramjeet Kaur and village development officer Harminder Singh were twice asked to submit clarifications in August and September last year but failed to respond.
Following the probe, the DDPO not only initiated criminal proceedings but also wrote to the department concerned to recover the misappropriated funds.
Assistant sub-inspector Kulwinder Singh said an FIR has been filed under Section 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and efforts are underway to arrest the accused.
