Jhansi government school headmaster arrested over alleged mid-day meal fund fraud

A government school's officiating headmaster in Jhansi district was arrested on Thursday for allegedly tampering with a cheque to embezzle Rs 2 lakh in mid-day meal funds, police said. Circle Officer (Mauranipur) Ratneshwar Singh said police registered the case on August 9 based on a complaint by Seema Singh, the village head of Bauda gram panchayat. In her complaint, Singh alleged that Govind Das Arya, the officiating headmaster of the village's upper primary school, tampered with a government cheque issued to purchase school supplies, increasing its amount from Rs 15,000 to Rs 2.15 lakh.

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The accused allegedly encashed the cheque and misappropriated Rs 2 lakh meant for the mid-day meal scheme, the officer said. Following an investigation, Mauranipur police arrested Arya, a resident of Deori Singhpura, from Ranipur Road. Police said further legal proceedings are underway.