VEO Rani Lakshmi defrauds LIFE housing scheme of Rs 70 lakh in Kerala panchayats

Village Extension Officer Rani Lakshmi, arrested for embezzling LIFE housing scheme funds, has been found to have committed fraud totaling at least 70 lakh rupees, with the scale of the scam expected to grow as investigations continue. The fraud was confirmed in three panchayats: Seethathode, Thannithode, and Aruvappulam. In Seethathode alone, the embezzled amount rose from an initially reported 51.23 lakh rupees to 69.80 lakh rupees after a recent audit. Authorities suspect others helped the officer, who allegedly included relatives in beneficiary lists for housing, maintenance, and toilet renovation projects. The Thannithode panchayat first reported a 2 lakh rupee fraud, leading to the officer's arrest and subsequent discovery of the larger scam. Rani Lakshmi is currently remanded for 14 days, and police plan to seek her custody for further questioning.