53 held in Rs 756-cr NREGA scam

Hyderabad: Fifty three government officials were arrested by Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Kurnool district for allegedly siphoning off funds meant for beneficiaries of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) to the tune of Rs 756.9 crore during the year 2007-2013, police said.

Based on a complaint filed by Mandal Parishad Development Officer, Yemmiganur, a case was registered by the Yemmiganur rural police initially. Later on the directions of High Court, the case was transferred to CID in November of last year.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) unearthed the misappropriation to the tune of 124.9 crore by detecting as many as 2,15,623 ineligible job cards in the State which were deleted. However, it is learnt from sources that the total misappropriation was Rs 756.9 crore. The officials conspired, committed cheating and criminal breach of trust with an intention to gain wrongfully by withdrawing amounts in the names of benami persons, CID Additional DG T Krishna Prasad said. The accused issued double job cards, besides issuing cards to students, employees and in the name of dead persons and thus misappropriated funds sanctioned under the scheme.

They caused huge financial loss, running in several crores, to the government exchequer and also fraudulently cheated the poor wage seekers of Banvasi village under Yemmiganur mandal in Kurnool, he said. The CID took up investigation into the case in November of last year and has so far arrested 50 government officials, Prasad said. The evidence collected so far has proved misappropriation to the tune of Rs 756.96 crore and investigation was in progress to unearth further irregularities.

More arrests would be made as and when the evidence was collected against other accused, he said. The investigating department requested Chief Secretary to get the matter inquired and take strict action against the erring officers.