Rs 5.16-cr ‘scam’ by liquor contractors in Faridabad

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 3

A scam valued at Rs 5.16 crore with certain unscrupulous Faridabad-based liquor contractors, allegedly in connivance with district-level excise officials, paying less amount into the government treasury, has come to light.

Following complaints about the alleged embezzlement of government funds, Additional Chief Secretary (Excise and Taxation) Sanjeev Kaushal asked the Excise and Taxation Commissioner (ETC), Chandigarh, to probe the matter.

The ETC asked Wipro, service provider, to verify any mismatch or discrepancy from the database for 2017-18. Wipro submitted its report, confirming several mismatches in payment accounts of liquor contractors, under which “certain amounts were found credited in excess of actual payments”.

In case of Raghuveer Singh, 34 mismatches amounting to Rs 3.82 crore were detected. In case of Virender, 41 mismatches amounting to Rs 82.84 lakh were detected.

In case of Neeraj Sachdeva, the department detected two mismatches amounting to Rs 15.22 lakh. In case of Sanjay, one mismatch amounting to Rs 36 lakh was detected.

Of the amount of Rs 5.16 crore, about Rs 4.38 crore had already been recovered from contractors. This included Rs 3.47 crore from Raghuveer Singh and Rs 91.19 lakh from Virender and Neeraj Sachdeva.

The ETC proposed initiation of disciplinary action and immediate shifting of the Assistant Excise and Taxation Officers (AETCs) involved in the “collusive fraud”.

Hinting at the involvement of district-level officials, the ETC said, “There is a possibility of other methodologies by private individuals and colluding public officials to hoodwink the government and impinge on state revenue.”

Kaushal said that the Commissioner of Police, Faridabad, had been asked to lodge an FIR into the matter. “The state government has asked the authorities concerned to recover interest or penalty for the fraudulently misused amount,” he added.

“It seems impossible that a fraud of this level could be carried out without the active or inactive involvement of the DETC. The ETC may review the supervisory lapses at the level of the DETC,” wrote a senior officer in his note.