Fake labour payments used to siphon government funds in Ladakh; nationwide probe gathers pace after multi-state searches
Srinagar, July 7 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested three persons, including an Assistant Engineer of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), in connection with an alleged multi-lakh fund misappropriation case involving fake labour payments in Ladakh.
The two other accused are labour supply agents from Kargil, who allegedly worked in connivance with the Assistant Engineer (Civil), posted as Officer In-charge of the Khatse-Batalik Sector under 81 Road Construction Company (RCC), BRO.
According to the CBI, the accused fraudulently diverted BRO funds by generating payments in the names of non-existent labourers. The investigating agency alleged that the money was routed through the labour supply agents before being deposited into the Assistant Engineer’s bank account.
The arrests followed a series of coordinated searches conducted by the CBI at 26 locations across the country in connection with four FIRs registered over alleged financial irregularities in various BRO projects in Ladakh. One additional search was also carried out in Himachal Pradesh as part of the ongoing investigation.
The agency said the cases stem from complaints lodged by the Ministry of Defence, alleging criminal misconduct and bribery by public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act, besides offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust and forgery.
The arrested accused are being produced before the jurisdictional court in Ladakh after completion of legal formalities.
The CBI said the investigation is at a crucial stage and further inquiries are underway to ascertain the full extent of the alleged embezzlement, trace the money trail and identify the role of other individuals, if any, in the suspected fraud.
