Rs2.15-cr irregularities detected in Rewari MC

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rewari, May 29

A special audit team sent by the CM office has set the alarm bells ringing for officials of the Rewari Municipal Council (RMC) as it has detected irregularities to the tune of Rs 2.15 crore during the inspection of the council’s record. The irregularities pertain to development works and other transactions carried out by the RMC in 2013-14.

The audit is being done following a complaint filed by Satish Khola, then district BJP chief, with the District Public Relations and Grievances Redressal Committee last year. He had accused the RMC authorities of misusing the funds by undertaking development works without inviting tenders during the Congress regime just to benefit some persons, said sources.

“Even the purchase of various electronic items used for the maintenance of streetlights was made for double the market rates and that too without issuing any tender. A huge amount of funds meant for government schemes was also utilised for other purposes without any legal provision," Khola alleged in the complaint.

The then City Magistrate had inquired the matter following the directives of the committee and revealed that the cashbook, tender and muster roll were not maintained as per rules. It also pointed towards misutilisation of government funds. The government later ordered a special audit of the RMC record on the basis of the inquiry report, said the sources.

“It is a multi-crore scam and several officials and local Congress leaders are involved,” Khola alleged.

Meanwhile, Dharmender, member of the audit team, confirmed that irregularities to the tune of Rs 2.15 had been found in the RMC record.

“It is a serious irregularity but we cannot term it embezzlement at this stage. The difference between the income and expenditure may also be due to clerical mistakes,” he said, adding that exact picture would be clear after auditing of the entire record.