Rs 47 cr of govt funds misappropriated, DRO booked

Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has registered case against the then District Revenue Officer and a senior manager of a nationalised bank for alleged misappropriation of government funds to the tune of Rs 47 crore.
A case was registered against Naresh Kumar Sheokand, who was earlier posted as DRO, Panchkula, and Bhim Singh, Senior Manager Punjab National Bank, Jangpura, New Delhi, now posted at Palwal in Haryana for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for land acquisition compensation.
The money was illegally siphoned off by the DRO in connivance with bank officials and other individuals and the investigation of the case has been entrusted to a Special Investigation Team, headed by Rajender Kumar, DIG Vigilance, a Haryana government release said here today.

Through a detailed web of multiple accounts, the duo siphoned off Rs 47 crore of government money from National Highway Authority of India account. The money was transferred to multiple accounts of private persons not connected in any way with land acquisition, the release said.
"A sum of Rs 250 crore was also diverted illegally in March 2013 which was returned after about a month," it said.
The case has been registered on against Sheokand and Singh directions of the government following vigilance enquiry in the matter, the release added.

"Bhim Singh, Senior Manager Punjab National Bank, Jangpura New Delhi (now posted at Palwal), actively conspired in illegal diversion of these funds," it said.

It said during investigation, "Role of the officials of Punjab National Bank, Panchkula and New Delhi, Induslnd Bank, Panchkula, J and K Bank, Chandigarh, Canara Bank, New Delhi, Central Bank of India, New Delhi, Maharashtra Bank, Yamunanagar would also be ascertained as connivance of some other bank official is suspected."
The role of various beneficiaries who were in receipt of funds without any entitlement would also be investigated.
The case was registered at Bureau's Police Station, Panchkula on July 22 under various the provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, it added.