Misappropriation of lakhs of rupees, misplacement of record of 6 yrs
SIC directs for FIR against another official of MC Katra
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 6: Shocking it may sound but it is a fact that despite lapse of nearly two years no headway has been made by the Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau (formally State Vigilance Organization) and in the departmental proceedings initiated by the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies in the case of misappropriation of lakhs of rupees and misplacement of six years record of Municipal Committee Katra.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that a Government servant during his posting in the Municipal Committee Katra prior to 2017 misappropriated funds to the tune of Rs 15,14,396 by tampering the official record.
When he was transferred by the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies Jammu on the complaints of some persons, the official preferred not to hand over the relevant record including cash books and vouchers of the period between April 1, 2006 and May 2015 to the Municipal Committee Katra office with the sole objective to hiding his illegal activities.
Accordingly, a complaint was lodged by the then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Municipal Committee Katra with the Police Station Katra relating to misappropriation of funds and misplacement of record on August 12, 2017.
Vide his communication dated March 21, 2018, the then SHO Police Station Katra informed the CEO Municipal Committee Katra that a case has been registered under FIR No.142/2017 against the accused Government servant Chuni Lal and the same was pending investigation.
In the meanwhile, Directorate of Urban Local Bodies Jammu initiated departmental proceedings against the accused Government servant and even Anti-Corruption Bureau (previously State Vigilance Organization) started verification into the misappropriation of funds and misplacement of official record.
Astonishingly, no headway has been made in the Police FIR, Anti-Corruption Bureau verification and departmental proceedings till date and accused Government servant has remained unpunished.
All this came to the fore during the course of proceedings under 2nd appeal before the State Information Commission filed against the Public Information Officer/Chief Executive Officer Municipal Committee Katra and First Appellate Authority/Director, Urban Local Bodies Jammu.
It was admitted by the PIO before the Commission that record of Municipal Committee Katra with effect from April 1, 2006 to May 2015 is not available as such information sought by the appellant pertaining to this period cannot be provided. He, however, said that information from June 2015 to December 2017 has been furnished to the appellant.
The Commission was further informed by the PIO that record was not handed over to Municipal Committee Katra by the then incharge of the records Chuni Lal, who had even misappropriated the funds to the tune of Rs 15,14,396.
About the missing log books of the vehicles of the Municipal Committee, the information about which was also denied to the appellant by the PIO as well as First Appellate Authority, the Commission was informed that the charge was held by Sanitary Inspector Subash Chander and vide communication dated March 23, 2018 the CEO Municipal Committee had issued a notice to Subash Chander for providing the records of the POL immediately.
However, the Sanitary Inspector didn’t cooperate and produce the log books as a result of which his salary was stopped and he is being marked absent from duties.
The Commission expressed serious concern over dilly-dallying approach in taking Police FIR to the logical conclusion and not taking necessary action against another erring Government servant namely Subash Chander.
Accordingly, the Information Commissioner Mohammad Ashraf Mir directed the PIO to lodge FIR against Sanitary Inspector also and provide all necessary cooperation to the Police Station Katra for conclusion of investigation in respect of FIR No.142/2017 as expeditiously as possible.
“What was the fun of getting FIR lodged, Vigilance verification and departmental proceedings initiated if the same were not to be taken to the logical conclusion despite lapse of nearly two years”, sources asked and hoped that after being completed exposed before the State Information Commission for dilly-dallying approach all the concerned agencies will take requisite steps to conclude their respective exercise.
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