The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Varanasi has arrested former ration dealer Jaleshwar Ram from Bansdih in connection with a 53.50-lakh-rupee foodgrain scam in Ballia district. Ram, a resident of Shripatipur under the Dokati police station area, was taken into custody around 11 am on Friday. Investigators subsequently produced him before the Special Judge for Prevention of Corruption in Azamgarh, where the court remanded him to judicial custody. The enforcement action forms part of an ongoing inquiry into widespread financial irregularities and the diversion of government-allocated foodgrains and cash during the 2002 to 2005 period.
Rural Welfare Projects Targeted Across Murlichhapra
The case centers on public works approved under the joint Central and state initiative known as the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana. During the financial years spanning 2002-03 through 2004-05, authorities sanctioned multiple village-level infrastructure projects across the Murlichhapra block of Ballia. The planned initiatives involved building drains, laying brick-paved tracks, repairing road shoulders, conducting earthwork on link routes, and constructing cement-concrete roads alongside local culverts. These public projects carried the dual objective of upgrading rural infrastructure while providing direct wage employment to area labourers. Under the statutory provisions of the welfare programme, workers participating in manual construction were entitled to receive scheduled disbursements of foodgrains or direct cash compensation in exchange for their daily labour.
Fabricated Muster Rolls Diverted Over 53 Lakh Rupees
Inquiries conducted by the EOW revealed that individuals tasked with executing the welfare scheme colluded to produce forged muster rolls. These fabricated records falsely documented the attendance and active participation of labourers who had never performed the registered tasks. While government logs formally registered complete project operations and widespread worker turnout, eligible local labourers never received their designated allocations of grain or monetary wages. Investigators determined that the accused diverted public funds amounting to 53,50,075 rupees, siphoning off resources explicitly set aside for wage support and infrastructure upgrades. The investigation continues to evaluate the systematic manipulation of administrative logs and establish individual accountability among officials responsible for distributing the statutory provisions.
Action Arises from Case Lodged at Dokati Station
The apprehension of Jaleshwar Ram stems from a specific investigation registered at the Dokati police station regarding irregularities in Murlichhapra block. Law enforcement agencies have registered a total of 43 separate cases at various police stations throughout Ballia district in connection with the broader foodgrain fraud. The EOW Varanasi unit continues its formal investigation into Ram’s role alongside other administrative and financial infractions tied to the employment programme. His detention marks another significant legal step in the long-running probe into the diversion of state welfare resources intended to support rural labourers.
