The Hindu : Probe ordered into salary for `non-existing Karamcharis'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 17, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Probe ordered into salary for `non-existing Karamcharis'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 16. The Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, today ordered a vigilance inquiry into the incident of withdrawal of the monthly salaries of at least 22 non-existing Safai Karamcharis by a Sanitary Superintendent of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the past several years.

The Congress Councillor from Dabri, Ram Naresh Gupta, who is also Deputy Chairman of the Nazafgarh Zone, submitted a complaint in this regard along with relevant documents to Mr. Mehta today. Mr. Gupta detected the alleged swindling of Rs. 60,000 per month as salaries on behalf of these 22 daily-wager Safai Karamcharis -- existing only on paper - when another fraudulent attempt was being made to open bank account in the name of these employees.

As per a recent policy decision, monthly salaries of all the MCD employees are to be paid only thorough cheques. All these 22 non-existing Safai Karamcharis are from the Sagarpur ward.

Addressing a Press conference here, Mr. Gupta alleged that one Sanitary Superintendent --now posted in Rohini - was withdrawing the salary of 22 employees, all of whom were appointed during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party regime (1997-2002). "This is one such case, which has come to our notice. Several such non-existing employees have been working in the civic body. There is need for a thorough inquiry in this regard,'' he demanded.

Mr. Gupta demanded that strong action be taken against this fraud and swindling of MCD money and action be initiated against the employees involved in this fraud. In another development, Mr. Mehta, today suspended three employees of the Sanitation Department after Rs. 6.75 lakhs -- meant for distribution of monthly pension to widows, senior citizens and physically challenged in Rohini -- was allegedly burgled from their possession.

The suspended employees include the Sanitary Inspector, Anjani Tony Bakshi, and two Assistant Sanitary Inspectors, Rakesh Sharma, and Jaipal Singh. Senior MCD officials said the money was withdrawn by Rakesh Sharma from the Rohini Sector-VIII branch of the Oriental Bank of Commerce.

Both Rakesh Sharma and Jaipal Singh claimed that after withdrawing the money from the bank the cash was kept in the boot of the scooter of Anjani Tony Bakshi, from where the three employees claimed it was stolen.

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