Blow to salary scam probe: Attendance logs of home guards gutted in fire

G B Nagar: In a blow to ongoing investigation in the massive home guard scam, a fire broke out at district home guard commandant office at Surajpur area in Greater Noida on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, completely damaging the box containing salary muster rolls of home guards with attendance log of all the personnel since 2014.

As per officials, the fire occurred on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. Vaibhav Krishna, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gautam Buddh Nagar confirmed that the box containing attendance logs of home guards was gutted in the fire.

"The Station House Officer (SHO) of Surajpur police station and Fire Safety Officer inspected the site and found that a big box having salary muster rolls (attendance logs) of home guards was affected by the flames with all the muster rolls inside it completely burnt down. An FIR has been registered in the case and a special investigation team at district level, under supervision of Superintendent of Police, Noida, Vineet Jaiswal, has been constituted to investigate the matter," said Krishna.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, took cognisance into the matter and ordered arrest in the matter by Tuesday evening.

The Chief Minister directed the principal secretary and director general of home guard department to submit a detailed report by Tuesday evening.

A senior officer from Gautam Buddh Nagar police said that police have detained three persons including an officer from home guard department and two home guards. One of the home guards detained told police that he was locked inside the room late in night while police investigations showed that the locks on the almirah, box and main door were also broken.

The Gautam Buddh Nagar police along with the home guard department were carrying out separate inquires into the incident after it came to light that 50 percent of the salary drawn for the two months (May and June) was done on basis of fake records. Officials claimed that around Rs 7.5 lakhs were withdrawn in salaries of these home guards without showing up them for work during these two months.

An FIR was registered into the matter against the officials and employees of district home guard department and probe was underway. With the fire incident, officials said that the incident will result in difficulties in tracing the role of those who approved the muster rolls beyond 2017.

Meanwhile, the matter which was being investigated by crime branch has apparently taken muster rolls and details of the attendance after 2018.

Officials acknowledged that the investigation will result in difficulties in tracing the role of those who approved the muster roll beyond 2017. An FIR has been registered for destruction of evidence, damage to property and mischief in Surajpur police station and an inquiry has been constituted under SP (city) to investigate the fire incident.