High power committee set to quiz corrupt officials
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 21 2018: The State Government's high power committee headed by the Chief Secretary as chairman has geared up to probe corruption cases in which officials of eight departments are involved including the case of wrongfully sanctioning and misappropriating Rs 5,89,04,629 by one former Project Director of MACS.

The high power committee will hold a meeting at 2.30 pm of October 29 in the Chief Secretary's office chamber.

The meeting would deliberate on the corruption cases involving Government officials and may recommend several actions including recovery of misappropriated public funds from the officials concerned under the Manipur Public Servants Personal Liability Rules 2006, informed a source.

The meeting scheduled on October 29 will deliberate on 20 cases related to bribery and graft practices in which officials of eight departments are involved.

Some of these cases have been already investigated by the Vigilance Commission.

These cases include misappropriation of Rs 5,89,04,629 by an official while he was serving as the Project Director of MACS, misuse of Rs 1.88 crore inside Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department and swindling of Rs one crore by one former Head Clerk and Cashier of Manipur Police Housing Corporation.

Some other cases which would be examined by the high power committee are supply and purchase of web equipment for Manipur Police Department in 2013-14 and installation of traffic signal lights.

Discrepancies committed in the process of releasing CDA in Power Department, failure to release pending liabilities of contractors, misappropriation of Rs 15,59,529 by a retired EE and fraudulent recruitment of staff in Health and Family Welfare Dept's TB Society are some other cases which will be examined by the high power committee.

Some other cases which would be brought under scanner are fraudulent recruitment in Higher Education Department, misappropriation of Rs 1,41,152 by an LDC of Thoubal College, misuse of UGC-sanctioned Rs 83,32,085 by a former Principal of Lilong Haoreibi College and continued engagement of some Government college Librarians, Demonstrators and Tutors even after attaining the age of superannuation.

The high power committee would also examine the cases of misappropriating Rs 16,86,000 from Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department by a retired UDC/Cashier and also the report of the Manipur Legislative Assembly's Public Accounts Committee which says that Agriculture Department made extra expenditure of Rs 96.28 lakh in purchasing certain types of fertilizers.

Moreover, the issuance of unauthorised work order by a former Managing Director of Manipur Food Industries Corporation Limited in connection with Nilakuthi Food Park project would also be taken up for examination.

The Finance Dept's Pay Implementation Cell has already intimated all the departments concerned to come to the high power committee meeting along with all relevant documents.

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