Bengaluru: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil said that inquiries have revealed various scams in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department and also brought to light unauthorised transactions of around Rs 10,279.80 crore over several years.
Addressing mediapersons, Patil said that civil and criminal action will be initiated against all those responsible for the scam. Officials involved in unauthorised transactions, opening dummy accounts and parking money meant for various schemes and diverting of funds will be held responsible.
The minister said that irregularity in question had occurred between 2009 and 2014 and also that misappropriation occurred through 106 dummy accounts. Out of the 106 dummy accounts, 104 accounts were with Syndicate Bank and two were with Dena Bank. In total, Rs 10,179.80 crore of unauthorised transactions has taken place, out of which Rs 495 crore has been recovered. Around Rs 273 crore had been diverted from the main account to other unauthorised accounts, Rs 386 crore is missing and the government has lost Rs 269 crore in interest, he said.
According to an inquiry conducted by IAS officer Punati Sridhar and another committee, revealed financial misconduct.
“In accordance with the recommendation of the report, action will be initiated against former Karnataka Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency Director (retd) P Boregowda, Deputy Secretary in RDPR Ramakrishna, Syndicate Bank and T S Giri and Associates,” added Patil.
