A team of 50 Economic Offences Wing (EOW) officers and employees raided the premises of ‘The Evangelical Lutheran Church Society’, which is always in the news, on Thursday morning. The team, which arrived in about 15 private vehicles, simultaneously raided six places in Chhindwara, which created a stir. This action was taken in connection with the alleged scam of Rs 5 crore Employees Provident Fund of 126 employees of the society. The amount of employees from 2010 to present was not deposited in the EPFO by the society. The amount is not visible in GPF and Book of Account. The complaint was made by some employees of the society. After which the EOW raided the society’s President Surendra Sukka, Secretary Nitin Sahai, Treasurer S P Dilraj, President Bhopal, Anitak Singh’s Chhindwara residence as well as the Lutheran Bhawan office located on Nagpur Road. The team continuously checked at all the places to get cash book, audit report, register documents and during the investigation, bank account details were sought from the society. In afternoon, the team took all the office-bearers with them to Lutheran Bhawan, the society’s office, where all documents were checked.

On a complaint lodged by the society employees to EOW Bhopal two months back, a case was registered 15 days ago against the President, Secretary, Treasurer, President Bhopal under sections 420, 120B, 409 and EPF Act 14. Keeping this matter a secret, the team had planned to raid the premises of the office-bearers of the society, after which suddenly a 50-member team, which reached Chhindwara from Bhopal on Thursday morning, started raiding and searched documents related to the scam. Investigation went on till late in the night. The investigating officer of this case is Pankaj Gautam, Inspector, EOW, Bhopal, under whose leadership the team has raided six places in the city. This team consists of DSP, Inspector, SI-level officers, who came to take action in plain clothes. As soon as the action started, everyone hung identity cards around their necks. After action at six places, all the officers and employees reached the office of the society. Several teams of police personnel were continuously deployed at the places where they were raided. “The EPF of their 126 employees by the Evangelical Lutheran Church Society of Chhindwara has been not deposited. The amount is between Rs 4 and 5 crores. In which a case has also been registered against the office bearers of the society under various sections, said Pankaj Gautam, Inspector, EOW, Bhopal.