State government taken serious congnizance of large scale irregularities made in Zila Panchayat at Deoria, resulting into loss of hundreds of crores to the state exchequer. This intiated proceedings against the Zila Panchayat chairperson of Deoria, and half a dozen officers of the Panchayat. The action has been initiated only after lokayukt (retd) justice NK Mehrorta took cognizance and sought a reply on the action taken in connection with the above irregularities.
Reports said that on Harnendra Singh Tyagi, a native of Deoria, submitted a compliant to the lokayukt, NK Mehrotra, stating that how the Zila Pachayat chairperson, Baleshwari Devi, in connivance with additional district chief officer of the Zila Panchayat, and others were indulged in large scale irregularities and had minted huge money resulting into loss of several corers to state exchequer. He claimed that when the laid process says that shops/ houses/ godowns and other properties of the Zila Panchayat should be auctioned for lease, but the accused had made transfer fraudulently by transferring from one person to another showing that they were partners. Thus, the chairperson and officials made several crores at the cost of government.
Similarly, Baleshwari Devi, gave away Dak Bungalow (Inspection House) of the Zila Panchayat to one Sulekha Agarwal, and in spite of pending dues against her for over Rs 3 lakh, Baleshwari Devi and Zila Panchayat officials made the Inspection House free hold in the name of Sulekha. Surprisingly, the free hold exercise has been made illegally as the matter regarding allotment to Sulekha was already pending in High Court. Not only this, all the accused connived and facilitated Sulekha to sold the government property.
Besides this, Baleshwari Devi, also facilitated her son Manoj Kumar, who is a clerk in the Zila Panchayat, to hold the post of Tax Inspector. The probe showed that when Manoj earned huge sum through the above post, not a single penny has been reliased by him as tax thus resulting into huge loss to state exchequer. Besides, there are several other allegations against the staff and Baleshwari Devi, about how they used their chairs to mint money at the cost of state exchequer.
NK Mehrorta, claimed that he sought a report on the above complaint from district magistrate of Deoria, Sharad Kumar Singh, who confirmed that the charges were true and that a report has been sent to principal secretary, Chanchal Kumar Tewari for necessary action on June 24 earlier this year. Mehrotra said that he then summoned reply from the government, who finally confirmed that orders has been issued to cancel 61 illegal allotments, a show-cause notice to Baleshwari Devi, and charge-sheet has been served to Vipin Chandra Pant, Arvind Kumar Anand, Ajay Kumar Rai, and Ashok Kumar Madesiya, who all hold posts of additional district chief officer of the Zila Panchayat at different times in Deoria. Divisional Commissioner of Gorakhpur, has been entrusted with the enquiry against them so further legal proceedings could be made. He claimed that orders has been also issue to remove Baleshwari’s son Manoj Kumar from the post of tax inspector. The officials were also directed to expedite the matters pending in different courts.
