Vigilance books former Urdu Akademi Director for irregularities
Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 4
For allegedly spending lakhs in the name of entertaining writers, irregularities in medical and travel bills and getting insurance done of his official car twice in a year, State Vigilance Bureau has booked former Director of Haryana Urdu Akademi , Narender Kumar.
There was a complaint against Narender Kumar, a resident of Panipat, as irregularities of Rs 15.07 lakh were revealed during an audit of the Haryana Urdu Akademi for the year 2018. It was alleged that he along with some employees of the academy were involved.
“The FIR has been registered and investigations are going on,” said Director General, State Vigilance Bureau, PK Agrawal.
Multiple vouchers of same date for entertaining writers
An amount of Rs 14,009 was allegedly shown as spent on entertaining writers, which a driver Pramod Kumar claimed through a cheque on July 16, 2018.
Two days later, on July 18, 2018, another amount of Rs 8,947 was cleared through a cheque, allegedly shown as spent on entertaining writers. It was issued in the name of messenger Kapoor Chand. However, he told that he never withdrew the money but on the instructions of then Director Narender Kumar, he had signed the bill, said the Vigilance Bureau.
Driver Pramod Kumar withdrew money through cheques for which two separate vouchers, dated July 18, 2018, of Rs 1,605 and Rs 27,436 respectively were issued, again allegedly shown as spent on entertaining writers. He had given back the amount to Narender Kumar, as per Vigilance Bureau.
Another voucher of same date showed expenditure of Rs 43,126 allegedly in the name of entertaining writers, for which then then Director Narender Kumar had received the amount in his own account. The Vigilance Bureau said the then Director couldn’t give a solid reply on this allegation.
Another voucher of Rs 47, 590 was issued the next day, July 19,2018, cleared again allegedly in the name of entertaining writers. Again, driver Pramod Kumar withdrew the amount and gave it back to the then Director.
Pramod again withdrew Rs 40, 370 for which a voucher was issued, dated July 26, 2018, in the name of entertaining writers and giving shield etc. He gave the amount back to the then director.
Another amount of Rs 2,010 was withdrawn, again for entertainment of writers, through a voucher, dated September 7, 2018.
The audit said that such entertainment was not permitted.
A travel bill of Rs 1.02 lakh was reimbursed without permission from competent authority. No solid proof could be provided by Narender Kumar regarding this, said the Vigilance Bureau.
The official car’s insurance was got done twice, one in April, 2018, and then in October, 2018. The vouchers for the payment of travel bill and for second insurance were of the same date.
A bill of Jagat Jewellers of Delhi for purchases of Rs 39,155 was also claimed. It was found cancelled in the record of the firm.
It was found that he allegedly got Rs 39,155 as medical reimbursement in his account, without permission from competent authority in July 2018. Also, Rs 25,417 was allegedly spent on food and books which the audit termed as irregular.
According to the FIR, he committed a scam of Rs 1.89 lakh and Rs 1.21 lakh is due to be recovered from him.
He has been booked for criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust under relevant section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Corruption Act.
Narender Kumar couldn’t be contacted for comments.
