Amritsar, Jun 27 : After a scam of Rs 1.45 crore by a personal assistant of a Punjab Cabinet Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike was unearthed, the district authorities today ordered a high-level inquiry in the entire government grants meant for development purposes in the district during 2011-12.

District Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal ordered the inquiry conducted by a team of three officials, headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (development) Sandeep Rishi.

An FIR has already been registered against PA Sarabdayal Singh and many others, including the staff of Bank of Maharashtra and ICICI under various sections of IPC. However, no one had been arrested so far.

Inspector Sukhwinder Singh Randhawa SHO of Civil Linbes Police Station told UNI that raids were being conducted to nab the accused.

Mr Rishi, when contacted, said the embezzlement of government funds of Rs 1.45 crore came to light after a thorough probe by the district development project officer Gurpartap Singh Nagra following the reports of misuse of government money released in 2011 before the assembly elections in 12 villages of Attari assembly segment.

Rishi said in a thorough inquiry, it was found that the PA allegedly opened number of fake bank accounts in the name of fake sarpanches and later the amount to the tune of Rs 1.45 crore was encashed by him.

He said Rs 1.45 crore was sent to Attari constituency for the development of the segment and the government grant was deposited and withdrawn from the fake bank accounts by the PA. Also, fake report was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar that the money had been spent in various development projects.

Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the city in January 2012 had also alleged that the government funds sent for development were not being properly utilised. (UNI)

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High-level inquiry into scam by PA of Cabinet minister