NREGA scam: 4 babus in dock

The alleged scam pertains to fake plantation and other civil works worth over ₹25 crore under NREGA

CHANDIGARH: Haryana justice( retd) NKAgarwalh as recommended registration of a police case against four IAS officers in connection with an alleged scam in national rural employment guarantee Act (NREGA) works in Ambala, during 2007-2010. The IAS officers are Sameer Pal Srow, Mohammad Shayin, the then DC, Sumedha Kataria and Renu Phulia, the then ADC. While Srow is currently posted as Faridabad DC, Shayin is Sugarfed MD. Sumedha is serving as Kurukshetra DC, and Renu Phulia is currently, director of woman and child department.

CHANDIGARH Haryana Lokayukta justice (retd) N K Agarwal has recommended registration of a police case against four IAS officers in connection with an alleged scam in national rural employment guarantee Act (NREGA) works in Ambala, during 2007-2010.

The IAS officers are Sameer Pal Srow, Mohammad Shayin, the then deputy commissioner, Sumedha Kataria and Renu Phulia, the then additional deputy commissioner. While Srow is currently posted as deputy commissioner (DC), Faridabad, Mohammad Shayin is the managing director of Sugarfed. Sumedha Kataria is serving as DC, Kurukshetra, and Renu Phulia is currently, director of woman and child department.

The alleged scam pertains to fake plantation and other civil works worth over ₹25 crore undertaken under NREGA scheme in Ambala during the said period. An RTI activist from Panipat P P Kapoor had taken up the issue with Lokayukta, seeking action against forest and other officials, including the four IAS officers, for their alleged failure to check the irregularities during their stints in Ambala.

Kapoor had also alleged in his complaint to Lokayukta that while the forest officials were booked by vigilance bureau, action was not being taken against the IAS officials. The state government had registered a criminal case against nine officials of forest department on January 27, 2015, subsequent to which Kapoor had filed a complaint with Lokayukta on January 30, 2015 alleging that the state government was shielding the bureaucrats.

Taking cognisance in the context, the Lokayukta had admitted Kapoor’s complaint and sought the response of four IAS officers by December 15, 2016, hence recommendation for registration of a police case in the context, now.

Meanwhile, reacting on the Lokayukta recommendation, health minister Anil Vij, who is from Ambala Cantt, said that he was the first to raise a red flag in the said case and had raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha. He held that the police investigation would bring offenders to book.

THE ‘RACKET’ PERTAINS TO FAKE PLANTATION AND OTHER CIVIL WORKS WORTH OVER ₹25 CRORE UNDERTAKEN UNDER NREGA SCHEME