PANAJI
In another major development in the Rs 5 crore misappropriation of central funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) for Goa, the nationalized bank that holds the scheme’s official account has also come under lens.
With the SSA cheque book reportedly untouched and all routine payments processed exclusively via bank-to-bank transfers, officials now suspect that the alleged fraud may involve insider assistance from the bank.
“The role of certain bank officials cannot be ruled out, given the sophisticated nature of the fraud and the safeguards in place for such high-value transactions. The SSA cheque book is intact. There is no cheque usage as payments to para-teachers and other beneficiaries are transferred through the banking system,” a senior government official told The Goan.
The revelation has fuelled suspicion that the fraudsters gained unauthorized access to the SSA’s account details, forged cheque books and signatures, either in collusion with SSA or with help from the nationalized bank only. “None have been given a clean chit yet,” the official added.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio, had been briefed about the case with a detailed report submitted soon after the issue surfaced. “The CM is personally monitoring the developments. Everyone is under the scanner until the masterminds are identified and arrested, and the misappropriated funds are recovered,” the source added.
The misappropriation reportedly took place earlier this year, coinciding with the absence of some SSA staff who were in New Delhi attending a Project Approval Board meeting. “There is a strong possibility that the timing was exploited by the perpetrators. A police complaint was immediately filed after the misappropriation came to the fore,” the source said.
A garment trader from West Bengal, into whose personal account nearly Rs 2 crore of the misappropriated funds were transferred, was recently arrested by the Porvorim police. The accused reportedly told the police that he was under financial loss since the COVID-19 pandemic while claiming his account was misused without his full knowledge.
The fraud first came to light when an alert staffer at a private bank headquartered in West Bengal noticed irregular cheque clearances in the name of SSA and large deposits routed into personal accounts.
The police are on the lookout for the mastermind who not only accessed SSA’s account but also changed the registered mobile number, to divert all transaction alerts.
