VB catches a retired school principal and an official for salary embezzlement

The Monitoring Bureau (VB) arrested a retired headmaster of a government school and a dismissed official on charges of misappropriating the salaries of school employees for almost five years in the amount of approx. ₹36,67,601, for their personal benefits.

A case in this regard was registered following a complaint filed by the then district education officer, Jalandhar. Both men have avoided arrest for the past four years.

The arrested accused were identified as Gurmel Singh, a retired school principal, and official Sukhwinder Singh, whose job was terminated. Both of them were sent to Government High School in Talwandi Madho in Jalandhar district.

A VB spokesman said: “During the investigation, it was found that both defendants, in consultation with each other, embezzled funds allocated for three years (2015-2017) intended for the remuneration of school employees. The accused made a deposit ₹35,81,429 as monthly deposits into the accounts of their four relatives, showing that they are school teachers.”

“Moreover, the official made a deposit ₹86,172 (from 2013 to 2015) with forged signatures of Satpal Singh, the then drawing officer, and disbursed Government Higher Secondary School, Nihaluwal, Jalandhar District, into the accounts of his relatives,” the spokesperson added.

An FIR has been registered under Sections 409, 420, 120-B of the IPC and under Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Shahkot Police Station, Jalandhar against the school principal, official and their relatives Satnam Singh, Amritpal Singh, Ranjit Kaur Warraich and Gurvinder Kaur.

The detained accused will appear in court on Monday.

“The accused’s relatives will be arrested soon. An investigation into this matter is ongoing,” the spokesman said.