Former Dakha sarpanch booked for misusing funds, forging panchayat members’ sign

The complainant alleged that the accused had forged the signatures of panchayat members and funds released by the government for the same were misused

Police booked a former sarpanch of Dakha village for embezzlement of funds and forging signatures of panchayat members on several resolutions.

A former Dakha sarpanch was booked for misusing funds, forging panchayat members’ sign. (HT File)

The accused, identified as Jatinder Singh, served as sarpanch from 2008 and 2013. The first information report (FIR) was registered following a complaint lodged by Varinder Singh, son of another former sarpanch, Kuljeet Kaur.

The complainant said his mother was the sarpanch from 2013 to 2018 and during her tenure, had sought village records from the accused on multiple times, but he failed to do so. Later, the matter was taken up with the block development panchayat officer (BDPO), Sudhar and following the intervention, the accused submitted the records.

Upon checking the records, the complainant said, they found around 36 signatures of then panchayat member Navdeep Kaur on various resolutions passed between June 6, 2010, and January 1, 2011. Upon asking Kaur about the same, he added, she said the signatures had been forged. Similarly, another panchayat member Avtar Singh has also claimed that someone has forged his signature, Varinder told police.

The complainant alleged that the accused had forged the signatures of panchayat members and funds released by the government for the same were misused.

Sub-inspector Sukhjinder Singh, who is investigating the case, said that a case under sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 420 (cheating), 467, 468, 471 (all forgery) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused at Dakha police and a hunt is on for his arrest.