KOCHI: In a major revelation, the Kochi City Police C-Branch probing the fund diversion from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) found that the accused had forged the signature of Ernakulam Collector to cheat the flood victims. This was stated in the chargesheet filed by the C-Branch at the Vigilance Court recently.The chargesheet was filed against sole accused Vishnu Prasad, a clerk with the Ernakulam Collectorate. The chargesheet was filed in the second case regarding fund diversion from the CMDRF. Vishnu is an accused in the first case too.
As per the chargesheet, the accused cheated around 265 flood victims who had filed appeals to get higher compensation for their losses in 2018 flood. He asked the flood victims to return the initial amount given as relief for including them in a new slab as per which they would get a higher amount. This was done when the government had clearly stated that no money should be returned directly through government offices.
“Misusing his official position as a government servant and to cheat the flood victims, he created a fake CMDRF refund receipt, P2-1348/17, having the signature of the district collector. He collected `1,08,83,100 from the flood victims from March 12, 2019 and January 21, 2020.
From 25 victims who had visited the collectorate when the accused was not in the office, he collected `7,25,000 and in total, he collected `1,16,08,100. Of this, the accused deposited `48.3 lakh at the Ernakulam District Treasury in the district collector’s Special TSB account. The remaining `67,78,100 remained with him,” the chargesheet stated.Though the C-Branch has checked the bank accounts of Vishnu, his relatives and friends, the lost amount is yet to be traced.
The accused who is in jail was charged with offences under IPC Sections 408, 409, 420, 167, 477(A) and Prevention of Corruption Act Section 13(2). There are as many 432 witnesses, a majority of them being flood victims who were cheated by the accused.The police started the probe following a recommendation made by the district collector after an internal inquiry.
In the first case, the accused persons including Vishnu Prasad are accused of diverting money, estimated to be around Rs 1 crore, from the CMDRF to several persons some local CPM leaders and their relatives.
The other accused are Vishnu’s friends Mahesh and Shintu Martin; former CPM Thrikkakara local committee members Anwar M M and Nithin N N; Anwar’s wife Koulath Anwar and Mahesh’s wife Neethu.
The police started the probe following a recommendation made by the district collector after an internal inquiry. In the first case, the accused persons including, Vishnu Prasad, are charged with of diverting money, estimated to be around Rs 1 crore, from the CMDRF to several persons some local CPM leaders and their relatives.