Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 1: Vigilance Organization, Jammu has booked then Storekeeper, Irrigation and flood Control Jammu, Division Akhnoor, for embezzling Government material, stocked in the store.
A case FIR No. 23/2016 P/S VOJ has been registered against the accused public servant, Ram Lal, under section 5(1) (d) read with 5(2) J&K Prevention of Corruption Act Svt. 2006 and 409 RPC on the prima facie establishment of offences.
The case was registered after preliminary enquiry on a complaint, referred by Chief Engineer, Irrigation & Flood Control Jammu, regarding the allegation that the then Store Keeper (2011 to 2015) Irrigation Division Akhnoor, namely Ram Lal, Sr Assistant, wilfully to hide his misdeeds, did not allow the physical verification officer to conduct the annual physical inspection of the store for the period 2013-14 and 2014-15. Later-on a new physical verification officer was appointed who conducted the inspection and found huge shortage of key construction material amounting to Rs 1,51,23,194 (on existing stock rate).
Ram Lal had taken charge of the store in the month of May 2011. The annual physical inspection up to the period March 2012 was completed but despite consistent and repeated intimations, he did not attend and co-operate with the Physical Inspection Officer, resulting thereof no inspection could be conducted for two fiscal years.
Consequently, Vipan Kumar, AEE, was appointed new Physical Inspection Officer, who after intimation to Ram Lal in due time, completed the inspection in the presence of AEE (Store) Ajay Gupta and AAO Kulwant Singh without cooperation of Store Keeper. During the inspection, a huge shortage of key construction material amounting to Rs 1,51,23,194 on existing stock rate was found.
It further emerged that soon after Ram Lal took charge of the store in May 2011, the balance figure started increasing in the records. This upward trend got stopped and started declining with the joining of new Executive Engineer Hamesh Manchanda by July 2013 only. The figure of quantity at which this downward trend stopped, is the figure of actual shortages. As such, the material found short has been actually embezzled by the accused Ram Lal, by sheer abuse of his official position held by him and caused huge loss to State exchequer.
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