A major financial scam involving the misappropriation of Rs 20.46 lakh has been uncovered in Uran, with Vaibhav Balkrishna Patil, the former Village Development Officer (VDO) for Kegaon, Chanje, and Bandhpada-Khopte group gram panchayats, facing serious allegations.
Patil, aged 38, served as the VDO from January 2019 to April 2023. During this period, he allegedly forged documents and diverted gram panchayat funds, including those earmarked for water supply projects. The case was registered by Block Development Officer Sameer Watharkar with the Uran Police on Wednesday.
An investigation into the matter, initiated by the Uran Panchayat Samiti, revealed that Patil created fake documents and used gram panchayat funds for unauthorized expenses. Police have stated that Patil failed to deposit funds, including gram and water supply money, into the designated bank accounts. Instead, he allegedly spent these funds without seeking approval from the administrator.
This misconduct resulted in a total misappropriation of Rs 20.46 lakh. Police are preparing to send a notice to Patil to record his statement. Senior Police Inspector Jitendra Misal confirmed that further investigations are underway.