Recruitment ‘irregularity’ in municipal bodies: ED likely to file separate case

Kolkata: At a time when the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs (UDMA) department is mulling staff audits in all the civic bodies in the wake of allegations of irregularities in recruitment in municipalities in the state, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to file a separate case in the matter.

It is learnt from sources close to the Central probe agency that it has decided to file a separate case in this matter. The ED had stumbled across evidence during their search at the Salt Lake property of a private promoter Ayan Seal in connection with the teachers' recruitment scam. The ED sleuths have reportedly uncovered a number of crucial documents relating to copies of advertisements for recruitment for different positions in different municipalities in the state and even some copies of appointment letters. Ayan continues to be in judicial custody.

On the basis of documents procured by them, ED has decided to file a separate case relating to this irregularity in recruitment in municipalities. The counsel of the Central probe agency has claimed in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) special court that such irregularities were evident in several municipalities where around 5,000 people in workers' and clerks' grades were allegedly recruited against payments of crore of rupees.

The decision to file a separate case comes in the wake of the state UDMA department deciding to conduct a staff audit in all the state's municipalities. UDMA department minister Firhad Hakim had ordered an internal departmental enquiry. He said it is to be seen whether any documents or files are there that indicate any irregularities in the recruitment process to the municipal bodies.

Sources in UDMA confirmed that a staff audit is likely to be initiated to probe the irregularities.