Chandigarh-The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has booked Arun Sharma, currently a deputy director in the Rural Development and Panchayats Department (and formerly Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) in Ferozepur), in connection with an alleged ₹1.80-crore embezzlement scam at the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) office in Ferozepur. Officials at the BDPO office reportedly transferred around ₹1.80 crore (specifically about ₹1.80–1.81 crore from 15th Finance Commission grants) to a private contractor who owns an interlocking tile manufacturing unit in Mamdot, Ferozepur. The payments were made in multiple instalments (around 11) between May 26 and June 23, 2024, by allegedly misusing the digital signature certificate (DSC) of the previous BDPO, Kirandeep Kaur.Kaur had been transferred from Ferozepur on January 1, 2024. Investigators say no corresponding material (tiles or related supplies) was delivered.
The issue was flagged when then-ADC (Development) Lakhwinder Singh Randhawa wrote to the BDPO office seeking an explanation. A departmental inquiry later confirmed the unauthorised transfers. An FIR was initially registered in December 2024 against an e-Panchayat data-entry operator (Manjinder Singh) and others under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), IT Act, and Prevention of Corruption Act. Sharma was formally named as an accused more recently after the department granted sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Sharma has denied any involvement. He stated that the alleged scam occurred after he took charge as deputy director and claimed he himself highlighted the irregularity (acting as a whistleblower). He said he will fully cooperate with the investigation and described the allegations against him as “baseless,” suggesting he is being targeted due to office politics.The case is under investigation by the Vigilance Bureau. Further developments, including any arrests or additional charges, have not been widely reported as of the latest available updates (around August 12, 2026).Would you like more details, related Punjab corruption cases, or updates if they emerge?
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has booked Arun Sharma, a deputy director in the Rural Development and Panchayats Department who previously served as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) in Ferozepur, in connection with an alleged Rs 1.80-crore embezzlement scam at the Block Development and Panchayat Officer office in Ferozepur. The case involves the unauthorized transfer of government funds, drawn from 15th Finance Commission grants, to a private contractor who owns an interlocking tile manufacturing unit in Mamdot.
According to the investigation, roughly Rs 1.80 crore was paid out in about eleven instalments between 26 May and 23 June 2024. Officials allegedly carried out the transactions by misusing the digital signature certificate of the previous BDPO, Kirandeep Kaur, who had already been transferred from the post on 1 January 2024. Inquiries found that no corresponding tiles or materials were supplied in return for the payments.
The irregularity first came to light when the then Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Lakhwinder Singh Randhawa, wrote to the BDPO office seeking an explanation. A departmental inquiry later confirmed the unauthorized withdrawals. An FIR was registered in December 2024 against an e-Panchayat data-entry operator and others under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act, and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Sharma was formally named as an accused after the department granted the necessary sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Sharma has denied any role in the alleged scam. He maintains that the transactions took place after he assumed charge as deputy director and claims he himself highlighted the irregularity as a whistleblower. He has stated that he will fully cooperate with the investigation and described the allegations against him as baseless, suggesting he is being targeted due to internal office politics. The Vigilance Bureau continues to probe the matter.