Year-long
Organised Loot of Rs. 5 Crores by officials of Jajpur Tahasil groomed and protected under
influence of Nabin Patnaik Govt. in Odisha
Dear friends
Mindless Loot of the
public property and State Exchequer by leaders of Biju Janata Dal, officials, mafias during chief-ministership of Nabin Patnaik has
become order of the day in
Odisha. Not even a single office incuding Gram Panchayat and Primary
Cooperative Society has been left out from vicious circle of corruption. It has been deep-rooted in every sector. No
doubt credit goes
to Chief Minister under his misrule and maladministration, corruption has become all-pervasive and making few section of
people wealthy and others
like 70 lakh families ( 3 crore
people) becoming poor
who are unable to get
two square meal in a day and dependent on Govt. rice for their survival.
Here is
presented how a group
of 21 officials of Jajpur Tahasil under Jajpur district successfully looted
state exchequer in organized way for
years together and protected by
Nabin Patnaik Govt. in
spite of
recommendation of Board of Revenue, Cuttack to the State
Govt. for disciplinary
action. RTI Expose and
subsequent intervention of Lokayukta, Odisha forced State
Vigilance to file Criminal
case against the
officials at last. Time will
tell what action is awaited against
these corrupt officials who have been
given promotion under
influence of corrupt
regime.
A.
On 25.7.2019., Sarbeswar Behura, RTI Activist had filed RTI Application to the PIO, office of Collector, Jajpur seeking copy of the Special Audit Report of
Audit Team of Board of Revenue, Odisha conducted into fund collected and utilized within period of 2006 to 2016. The Report was submitted to the Collector, Jajpur in 2017 who kept it pending
for the reasons known to him .On 10.9.19, the PIO, office
of Collectorate, Jajpur supplied
the copy of Audit
Report which
was found incomplete.
B.
It was observed that as per the Board’s memo No. 206 /Aud.
Dt. 2.4.16., Special audit team of Board of Revenue conducted audit
on misappropriation of Govt. fund in Jajpur Tahasil within period
of 1.4.2006 to 5.4.2016. Audit was
conducted from 5.4.16 to 31.8.17.
C.
The
Special Audit Report No. 02/2017-2018 submitted to Govt. has
made detailed description
of how around Rs. 5 crore has been
misappropriated by a bunch of Govt. official of Jajpur
Tahasil starting from Tahasildar to Head Clerck, Nazir and many
others. The report has highlighted misappropriation of Rs. 5
crore by 21 officials of
Jajpur Tahasil including 8
Tahasildars over period of 10 years. The Audit
has strongly recommended for departmental
proceedings and /or
prosecution at the earliest moment under OCS (CAA &A) Rules,
1962/OCS (PENSION) Rules, 1992 on the basis
of audit paras. The details of
loot are as follows.
·
52 nos of cheque worth Rs. 3,06,22,438. 00 towards royalty dues were received from different Executive Engineers.
None of them are taken to receipt side of the cash book but deposited under
different treasury challan. But while analyzing the closing balance of general
cash book , entire amount of Rs. 3,06,22,438.00 was reduced from available cash
in hand in different dates and thereby misappropriated.
·
Illegal transfer of Land Acquisition money
amounting to Rs. 34, 65,237.00 to the personal account of Rajat Kumar Routray,
Ex-Nazir of Tahasil made by the Tahasildar
concerned and after detection of the same by audit, it was recovered
at the spot.
·
An amount of Rs. 1,39,68,963.00 was misappropriated by way of showing expenditure
in shape of cash as against
actual expenditure in shape of
cheques as revealed from different bank
accounts of the Tahasildar, Jajpur.
·
An amount
of Rs. 72,432.00 received through
cheques from RW division, Jajpur on 27.8.2007 issuing a money receipt. The said
amount taken to cash book. Then encashed the
said cheque. The same amount was
not deposited into the treasury
rather a forged treasury challan was prepared and kept
in Tahasil record showing fake deposit particulars into the treasury.
·
A sum of Rs. 13,13,756.00 was misappropriated out of Users’ fee cash balance ( collected for issue
of income certificate, caste
certificate etc.) by showing irregular expenditure
without any supporting vouchures.
D.
Sri Sarbeswar
Behura filed complaint
petition dated 26.9.19 in the Lokayukta, Odisha seeking
detailed inquiry into the matter
and legal action against all officers
involved in this scam. Taking
cognizance of the matter ( LY Case
No. 371/2019) , the Lokayukta, Odisha issued notice to the Collector, Jajpur and Director, State Vigilance
seeking report about
status of inquiry , if any conducted
so far within 3 months.
E.
This
inquiry was suppressed by
both Collector, Jajpur and State Vigilance
for two years.
After notice of Lokayukta, the
Vigilance started the inquiry.
On 6.3.20, the Vigilance
produced the detailed report after
filling criminal case against
all the officials . the details is as follows.
Case No. 1
- Cuttack Vigilance P.S. Case
No. 19 dated 18.7.2019 u/s 13(2) r/w
13(1) (c ) (d) of P.C. Act ,
1988/409/477-A/120-B IPC has been registered
against Sri Rajat Kumar Routray, Ex-Nazir and Sri Laxmikanta Mishra , OAS,
Ex-Tahasildar , Jajpur Tahasil for misappropriation of Rs. 34,65,237.00 after receipt of approval from Government through vigilance Directorate.
Case No.-2 Sri Rajat Kumar Routray,
Ex-Nazir ( Group-C), Sri Sarat Chandra Barik, Ex-incharge Head Clerck
( Retd.) , Sri Ajay Kumar Sahu, Head Clerck, Sri Gourahari Behera ,
Ex-Tahasildar, Smt. Mamata Barik, Ex-Tahasildar , Jajpur , all ex-officials of
Jajpur Tahasil being connived with each other
misappropriated a sum of Rs. 3,06, 22, 438.00 from existing
cash available in the
Tahasil showing deposit of the same in State Bank of India, Jajpur. But they actually
deposited the cheques ( 52 nos)
received from different executive Engineers towards royalty for use of sand , murrom etc. through challan during the period from 31.3.2009 to 31.10.2013. They have
manipulated different Tahasil
records in this regard by not entering the cheques in the cheque receipt register, cash book.
They fraudulently issued the Challan without mentioning the cheque No.
& date. Though , they deposited
cheques in the bank through treasury , but they have not shown
the credit of the cheque amount in the subsidiary Register
and have shown debit of cash
equal to cheque amount in the said register. The DSP, Vigilance
, jajpur Unit has recommended
to Director, Vigilance dt. 28.2.20
to pass order
for registration of two criminal cases
( a criminal case against Sri Rajat Kumar Routray, Ex-Nazir , Sarat Ch. Barik,
Ex-incharge Head Clerck, Sri Ajay Kumar
Sahu, ex-head clerck, and Sri Gourahari
Behera, ex-Tahasildar , for misappropriation of Rs. 79, 52, 613.00 during period
from 31.3.2009 to 28.5.2010. Another Criminal case against Sri Rajat Kumar Routray, Ex-Nazir , Sarat Ch. Barik,
Ex-incharge Head Clerck, Sri Ajay Kumar
Sahu, ex-head clerck and Mamata Barik, Ex- Tahasildar for misappropriation of Rs. 2,26,69,825.00
during the period from 20.9.2010 to 31.10.2013.
Case No.-3
DSP, Vigilance, jajpur has
recommended to Director, State
Vigilance to file criminal
case against Sri Rajat Kumar
Routray, Sarat Ch. Barik, both Nazirs, Smt. Mamata Barik, and Gourahari Behera , Ex-Tahasildars and others
for misappropriation of Rs.
1,39,68,963.00 by way of showing expenditure
in shape of cash
as against actual
expenditure in shape of cheques
as revealed from different
bank accounts of the Jajpur Tahasil.
Case No.-4 an amount of Rs. 72,432.00
received through cheque from Rural Works Division , Jajpur on 27.8.2007
through a money receipt. The said
amount was taken to cash
book and re-cashed by Rajat Kumar
Routray . But the above amount was not deposited in the treasury rather
a fake treasury challan was kept
in Tahasil record showing
fake deposit particular in the
treasury. Sri Rajat Kumar Routray received
this cheque No. T987655 dt. 14.8.2007 for Rs. 72,432.00 and entered the same in subsidiary Register
( SR-1) on 27.8.2007. On the same
day Routray had shown deposit of the said
cheque in State Bank of India,
Jajpur vide challan No. 10 dt. 27.8.2007 and mentioned the same on expenditure side
of subsidiary register and
the concerned challan was duly
signed by the then Tahasildar Sri Bijay
Kumar Khandayatray. As intimated
by the Treasury Officer, Jajpur vide letter No. 1063 dt. 9.12.19, Treasury challan No. 10
dt. 27.8.07 was neither deposited
nor passed in the District
Treasury , Jajpur and Rs. 72,
432.00 was not accounted for in
the same day in account No. 0853
under royalty head. Whereas on
the same day i.e., 27.8.07
an amount of Rs. 72, 432.00 was debited
from Rural Works Division , Jajpur
vide cheque No. T987655 dated
14.8.2007 and not credited in any Govt. head. In spite of several efforts, the original
vouchures tworads withdrawal of of the above amount by the Nazir
could not be traced. DSP, Vigilance, Jajpur has recommended to Director, State Vigilance on 3.3.20 for
intitation of departmental
action against Sri Rajat Kumar Routray , Ex-Nazir with
recovery of misappropriated
amount from him.
Case No.
5 A sum of Rs. 13,13,765.00 was misappropriated out of Users’ fee cash balance . the EO has recommended on 2.3.20 for
registration of criminal case
against Sri Rajat Kumar Routray,
Sri Ajay Kumar Sahu, Smt. Mamata Barik,
ex-Tahasildar, for misappropriation of Rs. 12, 11,335.00 from 1.6.2010 to 6.2.2014 showing fake purchase of different articles.
On 13.3.20, the
Lokayukta, Odisha has
ordered to Director, Vigilance, Cuttack to
take prompt action and ensure that
guilty officials involved in corruption
are punished severely
by the competent courts.
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date- 18.3.20
No comments:
Post a Comment