Village Head Accused of Fraudulently Withdrawing Wages Under False Names
Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh – A major scam under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has surfaced in Atarasi village, Panwasa block of Sambhal district, exposing fraudulent withdrawals of government funds in the names of deceased and unsuspecting villagers.According to officials, more than a dozen fake job cards were created to show non-existent work, with wages siphoned off using identities of people who either never worked under the scheme or had passed away.
Village Head at the Center of the Allegations
Sunita Yadav, the current village head, is accused of orchestrating the scheme. She allegedly generated job cards using the names of deceased residents, including her own father-in-law, and falsely recorded work completed to withdraw wages.Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya confirmed that the case was brought to his attention about seven months ago. “An inquiry was ordered immediately. A misappropriation of ₹1.05 lakh was found. Since the amount is below 10 percent of the scheme’s funds, recovery has been initiated from the village head,” he stated.
He also noted that further investigations are ongoing into other developmental activities in the village.
Locals Shocked by Fake Job Cards
Several locals expressed their shock upon learning their names were misused. Rishipal Singh, principal of Mulayam Singh Yadav Inter College, said, “A job card was made in my name without my knowledge. I never worked under MGNREGA, yet records show otherwise.”Another resident, Sanjeev Kumar, revealed that his grandfather Jagat Singh, who died in 2020, was listed as a labourer under the scheme. “We were completely unaware until officials came to investigate,” he said.
Nirmal Das, who filed the complaint, alleged widespread misuse of the scheme. “Job cards were issued for deceased people, those who moved away, and relatives of the village head. It’s a blatant case of public funds being looted using fake identities,” he said.
MGNREGA’s Objective Undermined
The MGNREGA scheme aims to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment annually to rural households for unskilled manual work. This scam not only undermines the scheme’s credibility but also highlights the need for stricter audits and transparency in implementation.The district administration has assured that necessary legal and administrative steps are being taken to ensure accountability and prevent such frauds in the future.