The Ranchi Municipal Corporation is likely to press for recovery of money collected towards holding tax as the preliminary report suggests fraud to the tune of Rs20 lakh by officials of the accounts section and those involved in the scam. The preliminary report indicates that officials swindled the municipal corporation out of the tax collected in the municipal area.
“We will serve notices to those involved and will ask them to return the money as early as possible. This is Government’s money and they can’t keep it with themselves. Our primary objective is to get back money siphoned off elsewhere,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Om Prakash Sah.
The preliminary report alleges misappropriation of Rs11.78 lakh till March 31, 2014 which, although is registered in Daily Cash Receipt, is not registered in cash book maintained by the accounts section and Rs8.48 lakh till December, 12, 2014 which has not been mentioned in the cash book. Accountable persons will be asked to return the amount with a rate of interest of 9 per cent.
The scam was exposed during an internal audit and fingers were raised against accounts officer, cashier and tax collector. Ever since the matter was exposed, the RMC administration transferred the accounts officer to a different section. Nonetheless, the scam has once again put administration against the board of the RMC.
The RMC board demanded immediate FIR against people responsible for the scam and alleged that the administration is shielding culprits despite clear evidences of their involvement in the scam. The loot of Government money has compelled Mayor Asha lakra to write a letter to Urban Development Minister CP Singh, to investigate the matter by independent authorities.
“We have asked them to file an FIR. But they are delaying this on the pretext of pending probe. They are trying to protect them,” maintained the Mayor. However, any action is unlikely as the administration expressed helplessness until a final report comes and a complete audit report is prepared.
“Our priority is to see how soon we can get back money. And this is just a preliminary report, final report is yet to be prepared,” added Shah. Incidentally, the scam has stirred up hornet’s nest as the workers’ association is also blaming the RMC administration of going soft on accounts officer and finding scapegoat in lower rung employees.