A SUSPECTED case of diversion of canteen items meant for Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel engaged in battle in opposition to Maoists in Chhattisgarh has come to gentle following a sequence of functions filed below the RTI Act resulting in the Central Information Commissioner asking the pressure to “ provide the factual position”.
It is alleged that items price round Rs 3 crore could have been diverted from the CRPF canteens in Chhattisgarh and bought within the open market.
Sources stated the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken cognizance of the matter. “The Internal Audit Wing of the MHA conducted an audit in this matter in November and December last year. The report of the audit is still awaited. Once it is with us, appropriate action will be taken,” a CRPF spokesperson informed The Sunday Express.
The RTI functions had been filed by CRPF Deputy Commandant Prabhat Tripathi.
Sources stated first indicators of alleged corruption in operating of canteens emerged in 2014, when a medical officer posted in 217 Battalion was denied the acquisition of an air-conditioner from the battalion’s subsidiary canteen, and a suspected transaction was seen between 217 Battalion canteen and the grasp canteen of 201 Cobra Battalion. The grasp canteen operates as wholesaler, supplying objects to subsidiary canteens which promote the identical to the personnel.
Tripathi, who was then posted in Chhattisgarh, received on to the path of the matter. However, he was quickly transferred to Lucknow. Following this, he filed a sequence of RTI functions.
The RTI replies revealed that whereas the grasp canteen had launched dwelling home equipment to the 217 Battalion canteen in opposition to a Bill of Rs 1.63 lakh, this was not mirrored within the inventory register of the 217 Battalion canteen. Moreover, the fee acquired by the grasp canteen in opposition to the Bill was routed by means of Kshetriya Gramin Bank the place the 217 Battalion didn’t have an account.
It was additionally discovered that for the fee, money was deposited within the Gramin Bank, a apply not adopted in canteen-canteen transactions. As many as 43 such transactions amounting to Rs 2.95 crore had been tracked. However, when Tripathi demanded particulars of those in one other RTI software, it was denied.
Sources in CRPF stated just lately a departmental inquiry has been really useful in opposition to the involved official of the 217 Battalion canteen.
When contacted, Tripathi, who’s now posted in Delhi, stated, “I have already made a complaint internally as well about this. But the outcome of the probe is not known.” It was after this that Tripathi went into enchantment and at last the matter reached the CIC. In an order on February 9, the CIC stated, “In the sunshine of the info of the case and the arguments superior by each the events, the Commission is of the view that the moment matter has not been handled appropriately…. Therefore, in view of the above findings, the Commission directs Shri MJ Vijay, CPIO and DIG, Cobra Sector, CRPF to submit an evidence in writing the explanation why penal motion shouldn’t be initiated u/s 20(1) of the RTI Act, 2005 and in addition present the factual place within the matter to the Commission. The above-mentioned route needs to be accomplished with by 15.03.2022.”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
