Imphal, June 11 2010: A huge amount of Rs 46.50 lakhs sanctioned as flood relief fund for 1481 victims has been found swindled without a penny of it reaching the intended people.

The amount was sanctioned by the Government for providing relief to the people of Moirang sub-division who were affected by a devastating flood in August 2008 .

However, the whole amount was found swindled in the course of an investigation conducted by the State Vigilance Commission.

A well placed source informed The Sangai Express that list of recommendations made by the district level sub-committee, specifically constituted for distribution of aid to the affected people, were processed during a meeting of the Relief and Disaster Management Secretariat.

Proceedings of two separate meetings of the sub-committee held on July 29, 2009 were also recovered in the course of investigation.

The two separate proceedings which appeared to have been verified by the sub-committee were put up for due process by one L Shamungou who was a dealing assistant in Relief and Disaster Management Secretariat.

But on further enquiry into the different proceedings, it was confirmed that DC Bishnupur K Panmei did not issue any relief proposal for the 1481 flood victims of Moirang sub-division.

Notably, the DC was the chairman of the sub-committee.

It was also discovered that the meeting of the district level screening sub-committee held on July 29 last year decided to direct the relevant SDOs to re-verify all cases of relief proposals of 2008 and others.

Although some discrepancy was already detected, the relief proposal was approved without verification in a meeting of the State Level Calamity Relief Fund Committee headed by the Chief Secretary as Chairman on October 28 last year.

Subsequently, the same amount was sanctioned on November 12 last year.

Investigation by the Vigilance Commission found that no approval was sought from the Chairman of the State level committee when the Administrative Department sanctioned the relief amount.

Then the Administrative Department issued an A/C Payee Cheque on November 13 last year in favour of DC Bishnupur for Rs 46,50, 100 under joint signature of Commissioner and Deputy Secretary, Relief and Disaster Management Department.

The cheque was found to have been handed over to one Ch Yaiskul Singh who was LDC/Cashier in Bishnupur DC office.

Ch yaiskul withdrew The amount from SBI, Secretariat Branch on November 25, 2009 on the basis of an authorization letter which was never issued by DC K Panmei.

It has also been established that Relief and Disaster Management Commissioner Dr Suhel Aktar put up the proposal sent by the district level sub-committee without studying it in the meeting of the State Level Calamity Relief Fund Committee.

Moreover, the Commissioner did not seek approval of the Chief Secretary who was Chairman of the State Level Committee before granting administrative approval and expenditure sanction for the huge amount.

Deputy Secretary of the same Department, SL Lunneilal also failed to examine the two proceedings of the district level sub-committee meeting held purportedly on the same day while processing the proposals for relief assistance.

He also failed to take note that no jamabandi or photographs were furnished with the proposals.

Former SO in Relief and Disaster Management, LD Apon Chiru also failed study the two contradictory proceedings of the meeting purportedly held on the same day.

Dealing Assistance in the same department, L Shamungou failed to point out the existence of two contradictory proceedings of the district level sub-committee meeting besides concealing the fact that the sub-committee had decided to return the relief proposals related to flood 2008 and other cases of relief proposals for the year 2007 .

The investigation established that Commissioner Suhel Aktar, Deputy Secretary Sl Lunneilal, SO Apon Chiru, Dealing Assistant L Shamungou committed gross irregularities leading to fraudulent withdrawal and misappropriation of the relief amount by Cashier in Bishnupur DC office Ch Yaiskul.

The Vigilance Commission has subsequently recommended that the swindled amount should be recovered from the above officials/officers under Manipur Public Servant Personal Liability Act.

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