Lucknow, June 17 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple locations across five districts of Uttar Pradesh in connection with alleged embezzlement of government funds amounting to Rs 4 crore.

The searches were conducted at 14 locations spread across Lucknow, Ayodhya, Kushinagar, Pratapgarh and Amethi.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the finance and accounts of the Basic Education department, including disbursement of arrears.

According to the CBI, the case was registered on June 8 under Section 316 (5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The said case was registered at Gauriganj Police Station in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi on March 21, 2025, based on a complaint lodged by the Finance and Accounts Officer of the Basic Education Department.

A total of five persons were booked under the case, including the Junior Accounts Clerk, Block Quality Coordinator, Block MIS Coordinator and Primary School Headmaster at Bechugarh in Amethi’s Jagdishpur; and Primary School Assistant Teacher of Pure Shivdas Gudur at Gauriganj in Amethi.

It was alleged that the accused while functioning as Junior Accounts Clerk in Amethi’s Basic Education Department at Gauriganj entered into a criminal conspiracy with the co-accused and other unknown persons and dishonestly embezzled government funds worth nearly Rs 4 crore by illegally diverting funds from the government treasury to different bank accounts.

During the searches, the CBI sleuths are understood to have seized damning documents pertaining to alleged investment and utilisation of the embezzled government funds, along with other incriminating articles and digital devices relevant to the investigation.

The searches carried out on Wednesday were part of the investigative agency’s efforts to gather documentary evidence and scrutinise financial transactions linked to the alleged fraud.

The CBI officials said that investigation is underway to ascertain the full extent of alleged financial discrepancies and irregularities.

No arrests have been made in the case so far.

–IANS

mr/khz