Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Rewa, has registered a criminal case against several present and former officials of Janpad Panchayat Maihar in Madhya Pradesh for including ineligible persons in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list and issuing fake BPL certificates, enabling them to fraudulently avail benefits under various Government welfare schemes. According to EOW, the case stems from a complaint received at its Bhopal headquarters alleging that names of ineligible individuals were added to BPL list without following the prescribed procedure. The complaint also alleged that fake BPL certificates were issued and that, in some cases, two beneficiaries were assigned the same BPL serial number, indicating serious irregularities and corruption.

 

The investigation revealed that names were added to the BPL list without a Patwari survey report or written verification and recommendation from the Tehsildar, as required under the guidelines issued by the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat and Rural Development Department. So far, the EOW has identified 111 ineligible beneficiaries who were allegedly issued fake BPL certificates. These beneficiaries are accused of obtaining undue benefits under various Government welfare schemes from 2018 to the present, resulting in financial losses to the State exchequer. Based on preliminary findings, EOW has registered a case against the following officials include Vedmani Mishra, then Chief Executive Officer, Janpad Panchayat Maihar, R N Sharma, then Chief Executive

 

Officer, Janpad Panchayat Maihar, Prem Lal Gautam, Assistant Development Extension Officer, Sudama Prasad Chaurasia, then Block Development Officer, Deepak Mishra, then BPL In-charge, Ramsunder Mishra, current BPL In-charge, other officials concerned whose roles are under investigation. The accused have been booked under Sections 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 13(1)(a) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). EOW has taken up further investigation to determine full extent of the alleged irregularities and financial loss caused to the Government.