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VB books 3 officials for embezzling over ₹3 crore from Ludhiana municipal corporation; XEN held
Sharing details, the VB spokesperson said the case was registered based on investigation launched after a complaint filed by one Jaspinder Singh, an electric pump driver posted at the MC’s Zone C.
Strap: Retd superintending engineer, deputy accounts controller on the run
The state vigilance bureau (VB) registered a corruption case against three municipal corporation staffers and arrested an executive engineer for allegedly embezzling over ₹3 crore from the civic body, an official spokesperson of the agency said.
The official added that executive engineer (XEN) Ranbir Singh has been arrested and superintending engineer (now retired) Rajinder Singh and deputy controller finance and accounts (DCFA) Pankaj Garg are on the run.
Sharing details, the VB spokesperson said the case was registered based on investigation launched after a complaint filed by one Jaspinder Singh, an electric pump driver posted at the MC’s Zone C.
The complainant said that XEN Ranbir, posted in operation and maintenance branch, had received ₹3.16 crore as advance payments between May 2021 and September 2022 from the MC accounts. He alleged the funds meant for payments to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) for 42 tubewell works were ‘misappropriated’ by the accused officers.
The spokesperson added that during inquiry, the VB did not find any documents relating to proposal or demand by the PSPCL to pay advances for the tubewell works.
He said that according to the official procedure, a requisite proposal has to be made by the junior engineer (JE) or sub-divisional officer (SDO) concerned. The proposal is then put up before the XEN concerned through proper channels.
The spokesperson said the VB inquiry found that this procedure was not followed in this case.
The official added that the probe found that XEN Ranbir Singh had shown a fake demand by the PSPCL and forwarded it to SE Rajinder Singh for approval.
Rajinder Singh did not verify the documents and forwarded them for approval from the MC joint and additional commissioners.
The spokesperson added that the then joint and additional commissioner had approved the cases without verifying the documents.
The VB official said that after approval from the MC commissioner, the file was sent to the then DCFA Pankaj Garg, in-charge of accounts branch in 2021-2022. The DCFA did not verify the documents either.
The amount, ₹3.16 crore, was transferred to two bank accounts of the MC and then released in cash by accused XEN in multiple transactions.
₹3.12 crore returned to MC bank accounts for complaint
After a complaint was filed, the accused XEN started depositing the amounts in MC’s bank accounts.
The spokesperson said the accused deposited ₹3.12 crore from January 30, 2024, to March 21, 2024.
He added that according to the MC records, ₹4.34 pending with the accused.
A case was registered under section 13(1) and section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and sections 409, 465, 466 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the VB police station, Ludhiana range.
