Thursday 28 Mar 2024

Report on corruption in sports dept submitted

 Special audit team completes investigation into the complaint filed by peon  ball now in govt’s court

| JUNE 25, 2018, 03:59 AM IST

the goan I network

PANAJI

 A special audit team of the State government’s Directorate of Accounts has completed its investigation into a complaint filed by a whistle-blower peon alleging corruption in the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs.   

The inquiry report has already been submitted to the government, Accounts Director Prakash Pereira said.  

Peon Janu Naik deployed in Sports department for several years had addressed the complaint directly to the Chief Minister’s office with copies marked to the Sports Secretary and Directorate of Accounts. The charges he made were serious and had rankled the hierarchy in the Sports Department. The whistleblower also laced his complaint with an offer that he be dismissed if the charges he made were found to have no substance.  

However, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar took serious cognisance of the whistle-blower’s claim and directed the Accounts department to conduct an investigation.   

The Vigilance Department is also conducting a parallel investigative process in the case but its progress is under wraps. Accounts Director Prakash Pereira told The Goan: “The investigations are complete and the report has already been submitted to the government.”  

Naik’s complaint revolves around a racket involving a husband-wife clerk duo of the Sports Department who he alleges in connivance with officials in the Accounts Section fabricated fake bills and siphoned off funds.   

With the complaint having rankled the top hierarchy the couple accused of malfeasance were transferred from their positions but continue to serve in the same premises.   

But interestingly, the whistle-blower was also transferred and sent packing to an office 42 kilometres away after The Goan reported the case.   

As a hue and cry was raised over transfer of Naik the Sports Secretary called him and assured justice, yet he was transferred to NCC wing.  

Senior officials of the sports department, meanwhile, fear that the Damocles sword is hanging over their heads for their lapses in the overall management of the department. They are now reportedly said to be knocking the doors of their political godfathers seeking protection.  

Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs purchases sports materials worth crores of rupees every year. Empanelled for these supplies are some sports equipment agencies which have developed links with the department’s dealing officials.  

Naik’s complaint claims misappropriation of funds provided in the budget takes place in the process of repaying bills of the previous financial year.   

In March 2018, the Finance Department routed Naik’s complaint to the Directorate of Accounts and Vigilance with directions to submit reports by April 30, 2018.   

Although it overshot the deadline, the Accounts department has now completed the investigation and submitted its report but there’s no clarity on the progress of the probe by Vigilance. 


FLASHBACK THE CASE THAT WAS

Crores of rupees misappropriated by submitting fake bills to accounts  department to sanction advance payments for purchase of sports  materials

Sports kits given to a select few and sports materials siphoned off and distributed to relatives of staff

Financial provisions in the budget utilised at the fag end of the financial year  

All financial transactions of sports department handled by female staffer  

Her husband served in another section of the same  department. The couple had been serving in the same office for the last  20 years  



PEON GETS NOTICE

After exposing financial irregularities the peon from the sports department was issued a  show-cause notice by Director of Sports and Youth Affairs VM Prabhu  Dessai  

COUPLE, PEON SHUNTED 

The couple as well as the peon were transferred by Director of Youth and Sports Affairs. The transfers took place even as vigilance dept took cognizance of the peon’s complaint TEAMS FORMED

Taking cognizance of complaints, the finance  dept directed accounts dept to form two special  teams to scrutinize each voucher attached to bills to verify its source  

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