Mumbai, September 4: A significant scam has been unearthed in the Maharashtra government’s Ladki Bahin Yojana, revealing fraudulent activities involving multiple applications under false pretences. A man from Satara district has been accused of submitting 30 separate applications using the Aadhaar cards of 30 different women. Of these, 26 applications were linked to accounts in the same cooperative bank.

According to News18 Lokmat, the scam came to light following a complaint filed at the Panvel Tehsil Office. The accused allegedly used a woman’s Aadhaar Card from Panvel to avail the benefits of the scheme. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the man had taken numerous photos of himself dressed in various women’s attire, including Punjabi suits, sarees, and different hairstyles. He attached these photos to the Aadhaar cards of different women, and surprisingly, all applications were approved, with the scheme’s funds deposited into his cooperative bank account. Ladki Bahin Yojana: Rollout of Scheme for Women Just Before Maharashtra Assembly Elections a ‘Jumla’, Says Supriya Sule.

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Pooja Mahamuni (27) from Kharghar faced repeated rejections for her application to the Ladki Bahin Yojana. However, after August 15, she was informed that the scheme’s instalment had been deposited in her name despite her application being rejected. This discrepancy led her to seek help from a Panvel City corporator. On August 29, Mahamuni resubmitted her application using her Aadhaar card and mobile number, only to receive a system-generated message stating that her application had already been received and approved. This raised suspicions, prompting further investigation. Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, His Deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar Say Ladki Bahin Scheme To ‘Continue Forever With Increase in Monthly Assistance’.

The Panvel Tehsil Office traced the mobile number linked to the Aadhaar card and discovered that the same number was used for 30 different beneficiaries. This finding confirmed the fraudulent activities, leading the Tehsil Office to file a complaint and request action against the accused.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2024 12:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).