Meerut, Oct. 2 -- Serious irregularities have surfaced during the verification of pension beneficiaries in Meerut, where officials discovered that payments were still being credited to the bank accounts of deceased individuals. Authorities have since frozen the affected accounts and ordered a fresh audit to identify ineligible recipients. According to officials, 404 deceased female beneficiaries were found to be on the active payroll, alongside 58 other "fake" beneficiaries. The verification process is ongoing, and officials indicate that these numbers may rise. Minister of state, secondary education (Independent charge), Gulabo Devi, upon being informed of the situation, directed officials to conduct an inquiry and take strict action against those responsible for the lapse. She emphasised that benefits must reach only eligible candidates, including widows, the elderly and persons with disabilities. "I will speak to the district magistrate about the matter. Fraudulent payments must be stopped, and action taken against corrupt officials," the minister stated. She warned that if the investigation confirms that pension funds were disbursed in the names of deceased individuals, those responsible would face legal consequences. The minister also noted that the pension amount has been increased from Rs.500 to Rs.1,000, and she instructed officials to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is deprived of support. District magistrate Ankit Khandelwal confirmed that the pension process is handled by the relevant department, with records updated periodically. "Verification was conducted recently," Khandelwal said. "We identified several deceased individuals whose accounts were still receiving pension payments. Those accounts have been immediately blocked." Khandelwal added that a fresh verification of flagged beneficiaries is underway, and payments to those found ineligible will be suspended once the final report is received. He acknowledged delays in disbursing funds to eligible beneficiaries, promising that pending payments would reach accounts within 10 to 15 days. A team has been deployed to monitor the process, and Khandelwal vowed to hold officials accountable for any negligence found at the block or nagar panchayat level. Meanwhile, one of the beneficiaries affected by the administrative delays, Munni Devi, reported not receiving her pension for roughly nine months despite multiple inquiries. "I am struggling to meet my expenses," she said, noting that she usually receives Rs.3,000 every three months but has seen no payments for nearly a year....