Visakhapatnam, March 30 (IANS) A former Sub-Postmaster from Andhra Pradesh who swindled Rs 37 lakh from an account meant for disbursing wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment along with a fine equal to the misappropriated funds.
Botsa Peda Rama Rao was handed down the punishment by Principle Special Judge for CBI Cases, Visakhapatnam.
He was working as Sub-Postmaster, Sub-Post Office, Donkinavalasa and Sub-Post Office, Uttaravilli, Parvathipuram Division, between July 11, 2010 and October 12,2015, when he dishonestly and fraudulently, forged and falsified the branch office daily accounts pertaining to distribution of rural job scheme’s wages.
The CBI registered the instant case on May 23, 2016 against Rao on allegations that the accused forged the accounts and charged an amount of Rs 41.10 lakh towards disbursement of wages to beneficiaries under MGNREGS against the actual disbursement of wages of Rs 4.10 lakh.
Rao committed the offence on 16 instances during the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 at Branch Post Offices Palteru, Golladi, Mallampeta, Badangi, Akulakatta, Kunayavalasa, Nandigam and Rejeru.
The CBI said the accused misappropriated Rs 37 lakh allotted under MGNREGS and caused a wrongful loss to the Postal Department, the government of Andhra Pradesh and the government of India and corresponding wrongful gain to himself.
After completion of the investigation, three chargesheets were filed by the CBI on November 1, 2016 and January 18, 2017 against the accused.
The Court, after trial, found accused guilty and sentenced him accordingly.
Earlier this week, five officials of the Income Tax Department in Hyderabad and their aide fell in the CBI net for extorting money from income taxpayers, who had filed abnormally high tax refunds, by threatening them with hefty penalty.
An official said the fraud involving nearly Rs 10 lakh was exposed when one of the taxpayee approached CBI, leading to the registration of FIR against tax officials — Quamar Aulam Khan, Manish Sikrawal, Gulnaz Rawoof, Kuthadi Srinivas Rao and Mohd. Javeed.
–IANS
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