1.2 billion scam by Panchayats in Ludhiana several BDPOs involved
The Punjab government sleeps like Kumbhakarna; the investigation is put on hold!
S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali), July 16 ( ):
A big case of embezzlement of crores of rupees has come to light in six villages of Block Ludhiana-2 under District Ludhiana of Punjab with the connivance of the BDPO, Panchayat Secretary, and Sarpanches.
During a press conference at Mohali Press Club here today, Sukhpal Singh Gill and his colleagues said that on one hand the Punjab government does not tire of trying to root out corruption in the state, but on the other hand corruption is at its peak in the state.
One such case has come to light in the Rural Development and Panchayat Department of Punjab. In which the investigation report of the retired Joint Director in charge of Shamlat Cell, Mr. Jagwinder Singh Sandhu, has revealed that there has been a huge scam of crores of rupees in the award money received by Gram Panchayats of 6 villages of Ludhiana district, namely Salempur, Sekhewal, Selkiana, Bokar Gujra, Kadiyana Khurd, and Dhanansu.
Despite embezzlement of about Rs 120.87 crore from the award money received in the report, the records of many Gram Panchayats were neither given in charge to the newly formed Gram Panchayats nor deposited with the department by the concerned employees. Rather, the relevant records have been deliberately tampered with by the culprits.
Sukhpal Singh Gill informed that on his behalf, requests were sent to Mr. Taranveer Singh Saundh, Cabinet Minister Rural Development and Panchayat Department Punjab and higher officials regarding this big scam on 14.3.2025 and 16.6.2025 through WhatsApp, email and registered post, but unfortunately Minister Taranveer Singh Saundh and higher officials of the department did not show any interest in this multi-crore embezzlement.
According to the report of Mr. Sandhu, neither any action was taken by the concerned officers/employees to recover the huge amount of Rs 26 crore 56 lakh without government approval nor any order was issued by the higher officials of the department against them to obtain the records from the guilty employees. It is clear from this that Mr. Taranveer Singh Saundh and higher officials of the department want to save the culprits.
Besides, regular investigation of the guilty officers/employees in this case was passed by Mr. Ramesh Chandra Nair IAS (retired) by issuing charge sheets against them. From 26/03/2024 to 26/06/2025, neither Shri Nair recovered the records related to the embezzlement of Rs 120 crore 87 lakh from the culprits nor from the department. On the contrary, in the name of investigation, he kept this investigation pending with him for about 15 months.
From which it is clear that the investigating officer Shri Ramesh Chandra Nair has also not recovered the records related to the embezzlement and kept the investigation pending for 15 months, which is an alleged attempt to save the culprits.
Sukhpal Gill asked Shri Ramesh Chandra Nair in this regard that how many notices did he issue to the Gram Panchayats to tell the media that how many records did he issue to the concerned culprits or to obtain the records related to embezzlement in the department? Why did he not submit his investigation report to the department for 15 months after examining the records?
The shocking fact in this case is that the Finance Commissioner of the Department, Mr. Dilraj Singh, issued a letter dated 02/02/2025 ordering to stop and keep pending the ongoing investigation by Mr. Ramesh Chandra Nayyar IAS (Retd.), which shows that an attempt has been made to save the culprits from this multi-crore scam case. In this regard, the Panchayat Minister Sahib was requested to restart the investigation of this case and he got the investigation started again.
Finally, Sukhpal Singh Gill demanded the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann, to personally intervene and recover the above amount and the missing/tampered records of the Gram Panchayats from the culprits of the scam of about Rs 120.87 crore in 6 Gram Panchayats of Block Ludhiana-2 and get this case investigated by the ED. He also requested the Chief Minister that just like the campaign against drugs launched by the Punjab Government, a campaign against the corrupt should be launched in the state on the same lines and it should be started from Block Ludhiana-2.
(Dabba)
When the Financial Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Department Punjab, Mr. Ajit Wala was contacted over phone regarding this matter, he said that if there has been any embezzlement in this case, action has been taken because of it. He refused to give any further information. Apart from this, when DDPO Ludhiana Navdeep Kaur was contacted over phone, she said that 4 BDPOs and 6 Panchayat Secretaries are involved in this case while 3 BDPOs have been suspended.
Contact Number:
Financial Commissioner, Ajit Wala – 94160-06665
DDPO Ludhiana, Navdeep Kaur – 80545-40919
