CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: A recent discovery has revealed a ₹4.2 crore fraud connected to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the Kej nagar panchayat of Beed district. This has led police to file an FIR against six officials for allegedly misappropriating housing funds.
The FIR was registered late Sunday at the Kej police station, citing IPC sections 201, 204, 409, 420, and 34. Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat stated that the complaint was filed by Ajit Ganpatrao Dhope, the chief officer of Kej nagar panchayat. The irregularities were uncovered after an audit by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) on August 13, 2025, which indicated that PMAY funds were improperly diverted to unrelated accounts.
Dhope, who has held the position since January 2025, shared that the civic body had received ₹5.9 crore under PMAY, comprising ₹3.6 crore from the state government and ₹2.2 crore from the Centre, along with ₹17.2 lakh in interest from 2019 to January 2022. However, between May 20, 2021, and January 31, 2022, approximately ₹4.2 crore was allegedly transferred to ineligible accounts. The nagar panchayat accountant submitted a preliminary report on November 17, 2025, highlighting these irregular transactions and calling for a comprehensive investigation.
A special inquiry committee was formed by the Beed district collector on January 25, 2026. This committee, led by the Ambajogai sub-divisional officer, presented its findings on April 7, 2026, identifying six officials as primarily responsible for the misappropriation of funds.
The individuals implicated include the chief officer and the accountant holding an additional charge, a contractual accountant, and three valvemen working with the civic body. The inquiry revealed that cheques required joint signatures from both the chief officer and the accountant, while several financial records appeared to be missing, raising concerns about potential evidence tampering.
Moreover, investigators discovered that funds were improperly transferred into the personal bank accounts of some employees, apart from their regular salaries, further indicating their involvement.
In light of the inquiry’s findings, the district collector directed the registration of a criminal case on April 10, 2026. Dhope subsequently approached the police on April 15.
Mohan Gund, leader of the Shetkari Kamgar Paksha, has called for a thorough investigation into the scam, alleging the involvement of more officials and demanding strict action following a detailed probe.
