In a bizarre case of fraud in Chhattisgarh, a man allegedly exploited the state’s Mahtari Vandan Yojana, a scheme designed to provide financial aid to married women. The man, identified as Virendra Joshi, opened a bank account under the name of Bollywood actress Sunny Leone and has been pocketing ₹1,000 monthly payments meant for eligible women.
The Mahtari Vandan Yojana, a scheme introduced under the BJP-led government in Chhattisgarh, deposits ₹1,000 into the accounts of married women every month. However, it was recently discovered that one of the accounts benefiting from this initiative was falsely registered under Sunny Leone’s name, a detail that raised serious concerns about the transparency and integrity of the program.
Authorities were alerted to the fraudulent activity when the scheme’s monthly payments to the account began to attract attention. District collector Haris S has directed the Women and Child Development Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. The department is expected to seize the account to recover the funds and prevent further misuse.
Virendra Joshi, who allegedly opened and managed the account, is now facing legal action. Meanwhile, officials responsible for verifying the beneficiaries of the Mahtari Vandan Yojana are also under scrutiny.
The fraud was reported in Talur village, located in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The revelation has triggered heated political debates. Congress leaders have raised concerns about the scheme’s implementation, with State Congress chief Deepak Baij alleging that over 50 percent of the beneficiaries under the Mahtari Vandan Yojana could be fake.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao dismissed these allegations, emphasizing that the Congress was upset because the BJP government had successfully rolled out financial aid to the state’s women, a promise the Congress failed to fulfill during its previous tenure.
This case highlights not only the vulnerability of government schemes to exploitation but also the need for stronger oversight and accountability to ensure that welfare programs reach the intended beneficiaries. The investigation into this fraud is expected to shed light on any possible loopholes in the scheme’s implementation and verification processes.
Sources By Agencies