Haryana government has suspended six officers of the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Department in four-year-old embezzlement cases and ordered first information reports (FIRs) against these officers.

The Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said from time and again, has always clarified that there is no place for corruption in his government, be it, employee or official, no one would be spared if found involved in corruption.

Sharing more details in this regard, an official spokesperson said that four years ago the CM Window had received two embezzlement complaints against these six officers and after a thorough investigation, all of them have been found guilty of the allegations raised against them.

As per the Departmental findings, strict action was recommended against the errant officials to set up a stern example. After reviewing these findings, the CM ordered suspension of these officers and also to lodge an FIR against them.

As per the official records, in 2017, the CM Window had received complaints alleging inflating the original estimate of Rs 50,000  to Rs Five Lakh for an earthwork in an unapproved area from Paladi Road to Mother Pride School.

“The estimate had been revised without any approval of the competent authority. Hence, payment had been released in total disregard of rules as the work was executed in an unapproved area,” the spokesperson said.

Later the complaint was marked to Deputy Commissioner (DC), Nuh and as per the findings in the inquiry report of DC, appropriate action was recommended against the then junior engineer (JE) Jasmeer, (on deputation from Panchayati Raj Institutions), Javed Hussain, (now also posted at MC Nuh), Rajesh Dalal, JE (now posted as JE in Municipal Committee, Sampla) and Lakhmi Chand Raghav,  (now posted as AE in Municipal Corporation, Karnal) posted during the said period.

Meanwhile in 2018, a similar complaint was lodged regarding discrepancies in installation of street lights on the main road at Bawani Khera City with an estimated cost of Rs 99.73 lakh.

The matter was inquired by the additional DC, Bhiwani who has reported that the tender process was ab-initio void and hence appropriate action was recommended against Pankaj Dhanda, now posted as AE in Municipal Corporation, Yamunanagar) and Parveen Kumar, the then JE, Municipal Committee, Bawani Khera (now posted as JE in Municipal Corporation, Hisar) for the lapses mentioned in the inquiry report.