The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a corruption case against Rajinder Singh, Superintending Engineer, (Now retired), Ranbir Singh, Executive Engineer (XEN) and Pankaj Garg, Deputy Controller Finance and Accounts (DCFA), posted in Municipal Corporation (MC) Ludhiana for misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 3,16,58,421. In this case Ranbir Singh XEN has been arrested and would be produced in the court tomorrow.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said this case has been registered against the above accused after an investigation of a complaint no. 359/2023 lodged by Jaspinder Singh, Electric Pump Driver, posted at Zone C, MC Ludhiana.
The complainant had alleged that Ranbir Singh XEN, posted in operation and maintenance branch, had received of Rs 3,16,58,421 as an advance payments from May 2021 to September 2022 from the MC accounts for making payments to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) for various tubewell works but it was misappropriated by the officers in connivance with each other.
He further informed that during the enquiry the VB didn’t found any documents relating to any proposal or demand by the PSPCL to pay advances for the tubewell works in Ludhiana city as the funds obtained by the said Ranbir Singh XEN.
He added that as per the official procedure, a requisite proposal has to be made by the concerned Junior Engineer (JE) or Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) and through proper channel, it was to be put up before the concerned XEN but no such process was adopted by the aforementioned accused to usurp the government funds for their personal gains.
The probe had revealed that said Ranbir Singh XEN had himself shown a fake demand by the PSPCL on a noting on file and forwarded the same to Rajinder Singh, Superintending Engineer (SE) for approval of senior MC officers. Rajinder Singh SE, didn’t verified the documents put up before him on file with regard to withdrawal of advance payments but forwarded the same for approval of Joint Commissioner, Additional Commissioner and Commissioner of MC.
The accused XEN and SE despite having knowledge of rules of their department, had misused their official positions and forwarded the case to higher officials for approval. Moreover, Joint Commissioner, Additional Commissioner and Commissioner of MC, posted at that time, had approved these cases without checking/verifying the documents or facts on file.
The spokesperson revealed that after the approval of the MC Commissioner, the file for temporary advance amount was sent to the then DCFA Pankaj Garg, incharge of accounts branch in the year 2021-2022, for release through the case-based system because amount of advance payment was relating to 42 tubewell works.
It was the duty of DCFA to verify all the documents on file before making final disbursement of advance payments but he didn’t raised any objections and misused his authority. It was also found that the DCFA in conniving with the XEN and SE had passed the bills related to temporary advances and amount was transferred in two bank accounts of MC.
He further stated that it was astonishing to find that accused Ranbir Singh XEN had got released the amount of Rs 3,16,58,421 in cash on different dates through self cheques from the MC accounts and misappropriated the funds in connivance of each another.
Mentionably, when the compliant was made after three years in this regard to VB then Ranbir Singh XEN started depositing the said amounts in the account of MC Ludhiana and he got deposited amount of Rs 3,12,23,729 during the period of 30.01.2024 to 21.03.2024 in cash in two months.
He added that according to the MC record, even then Rs 4,34,692 withdrew as temporary advances are still due towards the said accused Ranbir Singh XEN.In this regard a FIR No 32 dated 14.10.2024 under section 13(1) and section 13(2) of prevention of corruption act and under section 409, 465, 466 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC has been registered against all the aforementioned accused
Rajinder Singh, SE, Ranbir Singh, XEN and Pankaj Garg, DCFA at the VB police station Ludhiana Range. Efforts for the arrest of other accused are being made and the role of other suspected officers posted at that time in the MCL would also be examined during the investigation of this case, he added.