Chandigarh, March 23: The Haryana Women and Child Development Department (WCD) and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) have initiated the process to withdraw the Indira Gandhi Award granted to a controversial NGO head. This decision follows a probe revealing that the recipient had concealed certain facts, while officials responsible for recommending her name failed to conduct proper verification. As a result, disciplinary action is being taken against officials from the WCD department, the Jind district administration, and the Narwana sub-division. A CMO spokesperson confirmed that while the award’s withdrawal is certain, authorities are also considering potential criminal action.

The controversy stems from a state-level event held in Panchkula on International Women’s Day, where the NGO head from Narwana received the Indira Gandhi Mahila Shakti Award. The honor included a cash prize of ₹1.50 lakh, a certificate of merit, and other accolades, presented by Chief Minister Nayab Saini in the presence of WCD officials and other dignitaries. The NGO was recognized for its efforts in supporting women involved in prostitution. However, subsequent investigations revealed that the awardee had been implicated in blackmail cases. In a past legal matter, she had even spent 33 days in jail due to misleading investigations before an FIR against her was canceled.

As per the selection process, award recommendations are made through a multi-tier approval system, starting from the sub-division level and progressing to the district administration under the supervision of the deputy commissioner. However, in this case, a lack of due diligence in verifying the recipient’s background led to the current situation. The government is now reviewing the lapses that allowed the nomination to be approved and ensuring stricter scrutiny for future selections.