Schoolteacher booked for fraud

Tribune News Service
Amritsar, July 20

The rural police have booked a government-aided schoolteacher, identified as Rupinder Bhalla, for allegedly bungling over Rs 7 lakh meant for midday meal. She has been booked following a probe conducted by the police and the school management.

She was posted at Khalsa Senior Secondary School at Nawa Pind village. She has been booked for criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery and using a forged document as genuine. She is yet to be arrested.

Nanak Singh, manager of the school, had lodged a complaint with the local police in October 2016. He said Rupinder was in charge of the midday meal from August 2013 to January 2016. “She forged bill books and misappropriated Rs 7.11 lakh meant for feeding poor schoolchildren under the midday meal scheme,” he alleged. She was placed under suspension over a year ago.

He said when the scam came to light, the management asked her to return the bungled money or face action. However, she did not deposit the same and therefore a police complaint was lodged.

A probe was conducted by the SP (Investigations). After taking legal opinion from the district attorney, the police registered a case under Sections 409, 420, 465, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Police authorities said she was yet to be arrested and raids were continued for the same.