7 booked for misappropriating MGNREGA funds in Kishtwar

Seven persons, including a former BDO, were booked by the State Vigilance Organisation for allegedly misappropriating funds of the rural development department under MGNREGA by opening fake accounts in Kishtwar district.
The officials had opened 202 fake accounts in Thakrie branch post office to embezzle huge amount funds of the rural development department, a vigilance official said.
After opening these accounts, officials of the BDO office in Kishtwar prepared fake invoices and deposited money in these accounts, the official said.
On scrutiny of records collected from the rural development department office in Kishtwar, huge number of fake account holders, for funds meant for projects under MGNREGA executed by the BDO in financial years from 2009 to 2012, were found, he said.

Holders of the accounts have been shown to have worked as unskilled and skilled labourers in those projects on their job cards issued by the BDO, the vigilance official said.
Subsequently, payments and wages amounting to Rs 4,32,3271 were released in favour of these 21 account holders. The fake accounts were operational from August 2009 to April 2012, he said.
On scrutiny, signatures on original withdrawal forms as well as other related documents were apparently not matching, the officer said, adding officials of the BDO office in connivance with employees of the branch post office and others misappropriated the funds.

The State Vigilance Organisation today booked Akther Qazi, Qazi Masood and Munawer Hussain, the then BDO in Kishtwar, Irshad Ahmed Kichloo then Village level Worker, Irshad Ahmed Mir and Mohd Sharief, then Gram Rozagar Sahayak, and Vijay Kumar, then Gramin Dak Sevak at the branch post office in Thakari, he said, adding investigation into the case is on.