'Ladki Bahin' Scheme Hit by Another Fraud; Lakhs Transferred to Brothers’ Account

A serious case of fraud has been uncovered in Manatha, Hadgaon, where a CSC (Common Service Center) operator manipulated Aadhaar information to redirect funds intended for women under the employment guarantee scheme into the accounts of men. The operator, Sachin, reportedly collected documents like Aadhaar cards and bank passbooks from several local men, falsely stating that funds for wells under the scheme had been deposited. Instead of using the Aadhaar numbers of the intended female beneficiaries, he submitted the Aadhaar numbers of these men along with their bank account details.

Once the funds were deposited, Sachin allegedly arranged for the men to withdraw the money using their thumbprints, claiming it was from the employment guarantee scheme. This fraudulent activity has caused a significant disturbance in the village.

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Abhijit Raut, the Collector of Nanded, has ordered an investigation into the incident, asserting that misappropriation of funds from any scheme constitutes a criminal offense. The inquiry will investigate how the men were incorrectly listed as beneficiaries under the *Ladki Baheen Yojana* and identify any additional individuals involved. Legal action is anticipated against Sachin and others responsible for the fraud.

The scam came to light when Aleem Salim Qadri, a local resident, received a notification on his phone indicating that funds from the Chief Minister’s Ladki Bahin Yojana had been deposited into his account. This revelation led to discussions in the village, resulting in the discovery that 38 men from Manatha and 33 from Bamani Phata had illegitimately received a total of ₹3,19,500 by improperly using their Aadhaar numbers.

The incident underscores the abuse of government funds, and the full extent of the operation is still being assessed. When Qadri confronted Sachin about the situation, he was told to remain silent. Sachin has since fled the village, abandoning the CSC center and leaving the matter unresolved.