C'garh: Housing official booked for embezzeling water tax

An offence has been registered against an employee of Chhattisgarh Housing Board for allegedly collecting water tax to the tune of Rs 1.72 lakh from 54 residents of housing board colonies using fake receipts, police said on Wednesday.

A case was registered against Ajay Sahu, an office assistant at the housing board's office in Raigarh, based on a complaint by the board's assistant engineer Tarachand Sinha at Chakradharnagar police station, an official said.

Sahu allegedly forged a receipt book to collect water tax to the tune of Rs 1,71,700 from 54 residents of housing board colonies in 2018-2019, he said.

The alleged accused signed these fake receipts and embezzled the state revenue through fraudulent means, the official said.

The financial irregularity came to light recently when the housing board officials asked these residents to pay their pending water cess, and the latter informed the authorities that they had already paid it, he said.

On investigation, it was found that Sahu had embezzled the tax amount, he added.

A case has been registered against Sahu under sections 420 (cheating) and 467 (forgery of valuable security) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, he said, adding that the accused was yet to be arrested.