MP Absconding civic official arrested from UP in fake bill scam case

Indore: The police have arrested an executive engineer of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), who had been absconding, in connection with a scam involving fake bills worth crores of rupees presented to the civic body for drainage work, an official said on Saturday.

The accused official, Abhay Rathore, who carried a bounty of Rs 25,000, was apprehended from Etah in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Pankaj Kumar Pandey said.

Rathore was posted in the IMC's drainage department, he said.

The accused allegedly conspired with some contractors and facilitated payments worth crores using fake bills for drainage work in the city, which was not carried out, the official said.

"Investigations have revealed that fake bills of Rs 53 crore were presented in the IMC for drainage work, and payments worth Rs 29 crore were made. The amount may increase during the probe," the DCP said.

The police had earlier arrested four contractors and four civic employees in connection with the case, he said.