Chief Secretary SK Srivastava on Monday placed under suspension six officials of the Department of Trade and Taxes in connection with theft of jewellery worth crores in the month of May. An FIR in connection with this incident was lodged on May 10 but the Chief Secretary initiated punitive measures after detailed discussion with Vigilance Department. He ordered promulgation of these suspensions with immediate effect. The six officials include Asheesh Mohan, former Joint Commissioner of Sales Tax Department currently posted with Delhi State Subordinate Service Commission, Hom Karan (VAT officer), Ravinder Singh (VAT inspector), Praveen Kumar (VAT inspector), Pankaj Kumar (VAT inspector) and DANICS officer Joginder Singh.
The Chief Secretary was upset soon after an FIR was lodged on May 10 in connection with the theft at Vyapar Bhawan. The seizure of jewellery worth Rs70 crore was executed on March 1 but the same went unreported by sales tax officials to top government officials, including the Chief Secretary. Irked, the Chief Secretary sought detailed report from the Sales Tax Commissioner. On receiving the report, the Chief Secretary forwarded the same to the lieutenant-Governor and the Vigilance Department. He sought comment from vigilance and thereafter placed six officials under suspension with immediate effect.
Taking a stern view, the Chief Secretary has ordered an internal probe into the theft issue led by Home Secretary Archana Arora. He has asked Arora to submit her report within a month. The Chief Secretary has ordered a probe into the circumstances leading to detection and seizure of precious articles by the enforcement team of the Department of Trade and Taxes and whether procedures were adhered to by the enforcement team while confiscating the goods. The CS has asked to unravel the “circumstances and arrangement for storage of seized materials from March 1 till date” and if adequate security arrangement was made to guard the stored material and shortcomings in the arrangement.