National

12-year-old getting pension in Manipur

IMPHAL: A 12-year-old tribal boy in Tamenglong district of Manipur has been getting pension after ‘serving’ in a government office since the day he was born on July 6, 1995. This was established from the documents seized from the Treasury office of Tamenglong district by officials of the State Vigilance department.

Following complaints of widespread fraud in appointments and pensions, officials of the vigilance department have been making investigations in some districts.

The officials are withholding the boy’s name. From the day he was born he was shown as being in government service. Documents show that he took voluntary retirement on July 31, 2005 and since then his pension has been regularly drawn.

The officials found that a 100-year-old tribal, who could not be located, has been drawing pension all these years. Documents for the payment of pension are also regularly cleared by the office of the Accountant-General.

In Thoubal district, some persons, in collusion with officials, have been drawing the pensions of three retired persons. Relevant documents from the bank and the Accountant-General’s office have been seized by the Vigilance department officials. In the same district, the pension of a retired person is being drawn despite the fact that he died several years ago.

Police arrested three persons, including a woman with a forged letter. The woman, Mumtaz Begum, 28, Mohammad Alimuddin, 39, and Huidrom Raghu, 36, are political workers. An official letter to Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh recommending lucrative contract works to these persons was forged. The Chief Minister’s signature was also forged. All were arrested from the premises of the Chief Minister’s office.

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