Raipur: A bizarre controversy has erupted in Chhattisgarh after Congress leader Jaivardhan Baghel alleged corruption in the BJP-led government's 'Mahtari Vandan Yoana'.
On Sunday, Baghel posted on Facebook claiming that Rs 1,000 was being deposited monthly into an account under the name of actress Sunny Leone. Baghel's post included details of the alleged account, stating, "The Chhattisgarh government is issuing Rs 1,000 every month to Sunny Leone. This exposes the rampant corruption in 'Mahtari Vandan Yojana'."
The shared document listed Sunny Leone's name as the applicant, her husband as "Johnny Sins," and the registration from Talur village in Bastar.
The account details showed regular monthly deposits since March. Baghel's accusations triggered a political uproar, with the Congress launching an attack on the BJP government.
Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Deepak Baij accused the government of widespread irregularities. "Out of 70 lakh beneficiaries under the scheme, over 50 lakh are fraudulent. Money is being given to dead people. This government must conduct a thorough investigation," Baij stated.
Responding to the allegations, BJP leaders dismissed the claims, calling them baseless and politically motivated. "Congress should introspect before making such wild accusations," a BJP spokesperson said.
The Bastar administration quickly acted on the allegations. Bastar Collector Haris S ordered a probe and directed officials of the Women and Child Development Department to investigate the irregularities. "The person involved in this fraud will face legal action. The bank account has been seized, and recovery is underway," he said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the application was registered using the ID of Vedmati Joshi, an Anganwadi worker in Talur. Officials identified Virendra Joshi as the main accused, who fraudulently diverted funds to his account.
The District Program Officer confirmed, "Virendra Joshi exploited the scheme. FIR has been registered, and disciplinary action is being taken against the Anganwadi worker and her supervisor."
The 'Mahtari Vandan Yojana', initiated by the BJP government, provides Rs 1,000 monthly to married women for financial support.
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