Imphal, March 11, 2010: A strong suspicion has been raised about the swindling of Rs 2.8 crores from the Targeted Intervention (TI) fund sanctioned by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) to Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS).

A reliable source in MACS said that the Rs 2.8 crores swindled from the TI fund was sanctioned for 2007-08. The same amount meant for implementation of TI programme was diverted to IEC (Information, Education and Communication) against established norms and rules.

The illegal diversion of fund was also approved by one Deputy Director of the period who was in charge of the TI programme.

Subsequently, the diverted amount was distributed to local clubs and NGOs for implementation of IEC programme.

Notably, the fund was diverted when the then Project Director was away from office on deputation as State Opthalmic Officer.

The illegal diversion of the TI fund was detected only when the Project Director came back to MACS.

On further investigation into how and where the diverted amount of Rs 2.8 crores was spent, a list containing names of clubs and NGOs to which the amount was reportedly distributed was recovered.

It was also found that no utilisation certificates were submitted by these NGOs and local clubs even as they have been reportedly given funds to implement the IEC programme.

But when Deputy Directors were sent to collect uti- lisation certificates, the NGOs and the clubs maintained that they received no money from MACS for the particular programme.

What fuelled more suspicion was the transfer of the particular Deputy Director who approved the fund diversion as Senior Medical Officer of Chandel District Hospital soon after the TI fund was diverted fraudulently.

Interestingly, a team of NACO officials came to Im-phal to check vouchers of fund utilisation by MACS not long after the Deputy Director was transferred away.

The whole scam became more intriguing when a room where important do-cuments of MACS were kept was set afire in the morning of May 25, 2008 as NACO officials were prepa-ring to check vouchers of fund utilisation by MACS the same day.

The transfer of the Depu-ty Director was effected at a time when the investigation conducted by the Committee of Officers headed by the Chief Secretary into the fund diversion was not complete and police investigation into the case of ar- son was also not closed.

Strangely, the Deputy Director transferred away as Senior Medical Officer has been brought back to his former post at MACS by a Government order issued on February 26 this year.

Every year MACS proposed TI fund of Rs 8 to 9 crores.

But after 2007-08, MACS has been receiving TI funds lesser by Rs 2.8 crores as it could not furnish utilisation certificate of the TI fund diverted during 2007-08, added the source.

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