Ballia, UP, Feb. 2: Fifteen people, including the officers of the Social Welfare department, were arrested here on Thursday in connection with a recent case of fraud in the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme, reported Vartha Bharati on Thursday, citing police sources.
“Two assistant development officers – Sunil Kumar Yadav and Bhanu Pratap of the Social Welfare department – have been arrested along Ravindra Gupta, Alok Srivastav, Upendra Yadav, Deepak Chauhan, Mukesh Kumar Gupta, Ramji Chauhan, Santosh Yadav, Arjun Verma, Ramnath, Acchelal Verma, Dharmendra Yadav, Gulab Yadav and Sarabjeet Singh of the Social Welfare department,” Ballia District Magistrate (DM) Ravindra Kumar said.
The marriage of young men and women from poor families is being done under the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme.
An FIR regarding the matter was registered against the assistant development officer of the Social Welfare department and eight beneficiaries on charges of fraud at the Maniyar police station on Tuesday night on the complaint of District Social Welfare Officer Deepak Srivastava.
Among the 15 arrested, the name of Assistant Development Officer Sunil Kumar Yadav is mentioned in the case registered and the names of 14 others have come to light during the investigation, the DM said.
“Whether those involved in corruption in the matter are officers, employees or anyone else, no one will be spared and strict action will be taken against them. Such action will be taken against those involved in corruption in the Mass Marriage Scheme that it will become an example for Ballia district,” he added.
Chief Development Officer (CDO) Ojasvi Raj said that accused Assistant Development Officer Sunil Kumar Yadav has been suspended.
“Action is being taken to suspend Assistant Development Officer Bhanu Pratap and Desk Officer of Social Welfare department Ravindra Gupta,” he added.
As per the police complaint, it came to the fore that brides and grooms, who were already married, were being married again in the mass marriage event.
A probe committee under the chief development officer was constituted in the matter on January 29.
It was found in the probe that some of the beneficiaries like Archana of Manikapur village was married in June 2023. Apart from this, Ranjana Yadav and Suman Chauhan got married in March 2023, Priyanka got married in November 2023, Pooja got married a year ago, Sanju got married three years ago and Ramita got married in July 2023. Apart from this, Sonam’s marriage is not decided yet.
All of them are not eligible under the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme, the committee said in its report.
Ineligible applicants had applied illegally to get benefits under the scheme by hiding the facts about their marriage, the report said.
The Social Welfare department’s assistant development officer was negligent in examining the applications which led to this fraud.
District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar had said the funds have not yet been distributed to the beneficiaries of the mass marriage programme held in Maniyar development block.
Under this scheme, a payment of Rs 51,000 is made of which Rs 35,000 goes to the girl, Rs 10,000 for purchasing matrimonial materials and Rs 6,000 for the event, according to the government website.
Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has demanded an investigation into the matter.
