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Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami’s sister, her mother-in-law, and other relatives have been accused of fraud under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). The scam was uncovered in Amroha district, Uttar Pradesh.

The main person involved in the case is Gule Ayesha, the mother-in-law of Shami’s sister. She is also the village head of the area. A district-level investigation found that multiple people, including Shami’s relatives, had received MNREGA wages without doing any work.

According to reports, 18 people were found guilty of fraudulently taking money from the scheme. This included Shami’s sister, her husband, three brothers-in-law, and other family members. They had been receiving wages from January 2021 to August 2024 without performing any actual work under MNREGA.

Action taken against the accused

District Magistrate (DM) Nidhi Gupta Vats confirmed the fraud on Wednesday evening. She said that strict actions would be taken against all involved. The orders include:

• Suspending the workers who were listed under MNREGA but did no work.

• Filing a police case against all accused.

• Taking action under the Panchayati Raj Act against government officials involved.

• Recovering the stolen money from those who received payments.

• Seizing the bank accounts of the Gram Pradhan (village head), Gule Ayesha.

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The investigation was started after media reports exposed the fraud. Officials believe that the Village Development Officer (VDO), Assistant Programme Officer (APO), and other government workers may also be involved. A detailed investigation is still going on.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami is currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He recently made a comeback to international cricket in the home series against England after recovering from an injury. He was also a key player in India’s ICC Champions Trophy victory against New Zealand.