'418 crore NREGA scam unearthed in Dahod

VADODARA: As many as 48 people including government officials were booked in a scam of `4.18 crore in National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) in Dahod district. Those booked are sarpanches of 20 villages including 11 women sarpanches.
The functionaries allegedly made fake documents to relieve the state exchequer of a sum amounting to `4,18,36,811.Four sub-postmasters, two taluka development officers, one additional assistant engineer and the representative of a pre-auditor company were booked in the offences, besides 20 sarpanches and an equal number of talatis.
The scam allegedly took place in Fatehpura taluka between September 2009 and June 2010, where fake documents and musters were created regarding NREGA work and funds were siphoned off. Fake identity cards were prepared for the scam and forged signatures were made on musters to withdraw the money.
The FIR was lodged after a detailed inquiry by district officials following numerous complaints of corruption in NREGA in Fatehpura taluka. The first indications of a major scam in NREGA had come to light about eight months ago and an offence regarding a scam of `18 lakh was registered. The offence had named 16 persons as accused.
Further investigations were conducted by the district development officer and others in the issue. The officials seized all records on suspicion that the scam was much larger and conducted a detailed scrutiny. Following this, the present one came to light.