Five FIRs against NREGA 'misuse' during Maya reign

FIRs registered are for the irregularities committed in Bahujan Samaj Party leader and former UP chief minister Mayawati's tenure between 2007 and 2010

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered five cases against alleged misappropriation of funds in the centrally-sponsored Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA). The First Information Reports (FIRs) registered are for the alleged irregularities committed in Bahujan Samaj Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief minister Mayawati's tenure between 2007 and 2010. Two more will be registered in a couple of days, an official said.

The Lucknow bench of the high court here had directed the CBI to investigate the instances of cheating and abuse of official position during implementation. The agency alleged in its FIR the beneficiaries were not given the money. The CBI also alleged that in collusion with the government servants, the work was not executed.

The CBI has not named any official in the FIRs but has mentioned the positions of the then district magistrate, chief development officers, district development officers of five districts including Sonebhadra, Gonda, Balrampur, Mahoba and Kushinagar. Besides, the court has asked the CBI to look into the swindling of funds in the districts of Sant Kabir Nagar and Mirzapur. All cases were registered on Friday in Lucknow.

The allegations against the accused are of cheating, criminal conspiracy, forgery under the Indian Penal Code and abuse of official position under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI is yet to estimate the loss caused to the exchequer. No arrests have been made. A local journalist Sachchidanand Gupta had filed a public interest suit to probe the issue. The court had issued a writ, directing the CBI to probe the matter and take "appropriate action and prosecution in accordance with law."

"Prima facie, the material reveals startling facts with regard to the misappropriation of funds from the lowest echelon of the elected representative, i.e. pradhan, gram sabha members to the higher bureaucracy in a well-netted collusive manner," the bench had said.