SINDHULIMADI, July 15

With a fresh clampdown imposed by the authorities, people who had procured state fund as relief by furnishing fake details have started returning the relief amount in Sindhuli.

After District Administration Office started a probe into irregularities acting on the complaints lodged by locals, the fake quake victims in the district have started to reimburse the Rs 15,000 the state had provided as relief.

According to Relief Misuse Probe Committee coordinator and Assistant Chief District Officer Basu Kafle, 13 people from Majhuwa, Bhimeshwor and Kamalamai VDCs have returned the relief amount along with the victim identity cards that they had managed to get.

“They were compelled to return the IDs and the relief amount after we asked them to be present at the administration to clarify in writing,” said ACDO, calling the other bogus temblor victims to reimburse the relief amount at the earliest.

“Claiming something on the basis of fake details is a crime, so anyone who has managed to bag the relief amount by producing fake details will be liable to face action,” ACDO warned, adding, “The impostors, who are not willing to return the amount might have to even face jail term.”

Sources said there were complaints that more than 25 people of Majhuwa and 30-plus from Bhimeshwor who allegedly acquired the relief amount and victim ID card with fake claims.

While over 1,000 fake temblor victims are said to have duped the authorities to acquire the relief amount in Kamalamai municipality, the total amount claimed by fake victims is said to be nearly 20 per cent of the total fund so far distributed in the municipality and 36 other quake affected VDCs.

Among those who claimed the amount as fake quake victims are teachers, government employees and political party leaders.

It is said that leaders of local political parties, social mobilisers and other big shots had forced the concerned VDC secretary to release the fund to bogus quake victims.

Recently, acting on a barrage of complaints, the authorities had formed a probe committee to look into the issue of fake quake victims claiming the relief amount.