EOW arrests two ASI staffers for cheating, unauthorised transactions
New Delhi: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has arrested two staffers of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for cheating and unauthorized money transaction from the office. The law enforcement agency said that the scam was not revealed earlier as the audit of the office had not been done for the last 10 years.
Additional Commissioner of Police (EOW) Suvashis Choudhary confirmed the news and said that after a proper investigation accused Prem Prakash (Lower Division Clerk) and MTS Basant Lal were arrested.
According to EOW, a case was registered on the complaint of Raghu Prakash an official from the Chemical Department in Archaeological Survey of India, wherein he alleged that LDC Prem Prakash and MTS Basant Lal were involved in embezzlement of government money on the basis of forgery of salary bills, TA, DA bills and bills of vendors who supply chemicals and other articles to the office.
Police further said that during the course of the investigation, it came to light that alleged Prem Prakash had prepared fake login IDs of the PFMS of Chemist Department of ASI.
"He prepared forged bills of office sent to PAO office through PFMS and physical forms. These were got sanctioned by the PAO with the assistance of the staff," said senior police official. Through this modus operandi, around Rs. 9.5 crore were embezzled from the government account since 2010.
In the complaint, the ASI official told police that they came to know about a bill from private enterprises which was returned by pay and accounts office of ASI in New Delhi. On enquiry, it has been noticed that the bill was not generated with the knowledge of staff and officers of Science branch.
"It is also confirmed that none of the items against the above bill has been purchased and received. The matter was investigated and it is found that documents like sanction order, estimate provision, comparative statement, supply order, note sheet and account details of vendor were attached along the bill. However these documents appear to be forged," complainant told police.
The further investigation in the issue led to the fraud done by the accused.
