VILLUPURAM/KALLAKURICHI: Cracking down on fraudulent accounts related to PM-KISAN scheme in the district, the Villupuram CB-CID on Friday arrested three people on the charges of forging documents and making fake entries. Around 38,000 fake entries were identified in Villupuram, resulting in recovery of Rs 3.75 crore as of Friday evening, said officials.
Similarly, nearly 40,000 fake accounts were identified in Kallakurichi while Rs 3 crore was recovered from these accounts. The scheme, introduced by the Central government, provides a sum of Rs 6,000 to eligible farmers who have landholding between 20 cents to 10 acres.
The amount is credited in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 to the Aadhaar-linked accounts of farmers.
TNIE had earlier reported about ineligible people receiving money under the scheme. In Cuddalore district alone, the officials have weeded out as many as 38,000 fraudulent accounts that were opened to receive money under the scheme.
Joint director of Agriculture in Villupuram and Kallakurichi in the last week had sought CB-CID probe into PM-KISAN accounts in these districts. “The fake entries were made by officials in the agriculture department, contract staff and private agents. Three men were arrested on Friday on charges of forging documents to make fake entries,” said the CB-CID officials.