Punjab Vigilance Bureau Uncovers Multi-Crore Salary Scam in Health Department

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested accused Dr. Lakhwinder Singh Chahal (Retired), SMO and Ranjit Singh Senior Assistant, Primary Health Centre (PHC), Dhillwan in Kapurthala district after investigation of a scam in the disbursement of salaries of the officials/employees posted in Dhillwan PHC.

Giving detailed information in this regard, an official spokesperson of the VB said during the investigation of a Vigilance Enquiry, it was found that an accused in this case namely Rajwinder Singh Clerk, was previously involved in a salary fraud case at Sub-Divisional Hospital, Baba Bakala, Amritsar district. In this regard a case was registered against him in the year 2013 at VB police station, Amritsar range.

He informed that after this, the Director Health and Family Welfare Department, Punjab in 2016, had transferred this accused Clerk to PHC Dhillwan. Dr. Lakhwinder Singh Chahal, SMO Dhillawan, despite having the knowledge regarding the registration of a case related to salary fraud against the above mentioned accused, had deputed the tainted Clerk with another employee namely Ranjit Singh, a Bill Clerk as an assistant on his verbal orders to maintain salary accounts.

He further informed that during the probe, the bank statements obtained from various banks of the accused Rajwinder Singh Clerk, had proved that the accused had prepared forged salary and dearness allowance bills of the employees, who were on long leave, and which were counter signed by above said accused Ranjit Singh and approved by SMO Dr. Chahal. After getting the bills passed from the treasury office, Bhulath, Rajwinder Singh Clerk had committed embezzlement by drawing a total of Rs. 14,46,550 in his personal bank accounts.

In this regard, the VB has registered a case against all the three accused namely Dr Chahal, Ranjit Singh and Rajwinder Singh under sections 409, 467, 468, 471, 201, 120-B of IPC and 13(1)A read with 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station, Jalandhar range. Dr Chahal and Ranjit Singh were produced in the court on Wednesday and sent to jail under judicial custody. Further investigation into this case was under progress.