Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Friday held a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding a thorough investigation into the ₹28 crore MNREGA scam in Chaibasa district. The state government informed the court that the documents requested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) would be submitted within two weeks.
This assurance follows an earlier directive from the court instructing the ED to present an updated status report on the case. In compliance, the ED submitted the necessary details and status report during the hearing.
Case Background and Progress
The alleged scam dates back to 2008-2011 and involves misappropriation of funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). So far, 14 FIRs have been registered in connection with the case, with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigating and filing charge sheets in 13 cases.
The PIL, filed by Matloob Imam, seeks a comprehensive investigation into the case, highlighting alleged irregularities in the fund allocation and usage during the stated period.
Next Steps
The bench, led by the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, scheduled the next hearing for January 21. During this session, the court is expected to review the progress made by the ED and the state’s submission of documents.
The case is being closely monitored due to its implications on governance and transparency in developmental schemes.
