In its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has arrested two accused who had embezzled salary amounting to Rs 36,67,601 for their personal benefits. The accused were evading arrest for the last four years. The accused have been identified as Head Teacher Gurmel Singh (now retired) and Clerk Sukhwinder Singh (now dismissed) posted at Government High School, Talwandi Madho, District Jalandhar.
Giving information in this regard, the spokesperson of the State Vigilance Bureau said that the case has been registered after investigation of the complaint filed by the then District Education Officer, Jalandhar. He further said that during the investigation, it was found that both the accused conspired for salary fraud from 2015 to 2017 and deposited Rs 35,81,429 as monthly salary in the accounts of their four relatives by pretending to work as teachers. Apart from this, accused clerk Sukhwinder Singh also deposited Rs 86,172 from 2013 to 2015 by forging the signatures of Satpal Singh, the then Drawing and Disbursing Officer of Government Senior Secondary School Nihalwal, District Jalandhar.
In this regard, FIR No. 53 dated 20-03-2018 was registered at Police Station Shahkot, District Jalandhar against accused Head Teacher Gurmel Singh, Clerk Sukhwinder Singh and their relatives Satnam Singh, Amritpal Singh, Ranjit Kaur Waraich and Gurwinder Kaur. The case has been registered under Sections 409, 420, 120-B and Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The spokesperson further said that both the arrested accused will be produced in the court and the remaining accused will also be arrested soon and further investigation is underway in this regard.
