SHILLONG: The CAG report which was tabled on the floor of the house has revealed that Meghalaya Value Added Tax totalling Rs 34.36 lakh deducted by the Directorate of Housing from the Suppliers Bills was embezzled by faking the documents showing that the amount was deposited into the Government account.
The CAG report said that the scrutiny of the records (September 2010) of the Directorate of Housing (Directorate) revealed that it deducted Meghalaya Value Added Tax (MVAT) totalling Rs 34.36 lakh from the bills of three suppliers and as per entries in the directorate’s cash book, this amount was shown as deposited with the State Bank of India, Laitumkhrah branch in Government account between June 9, 2009 and February 5, 2010 through 19 challans.
During the cross verification of 19 challans, the treasury confirmed that although the 19 challans were presented to the treasury for enfacement between June 9, 2009 and February 5, 2010, the amount of Rs 34.36 lakhs was not deposited in the Government account through the designated bank.
As per the report, the SBI certified that the amount which was claimed to have been deposited through 19 challans was never deposited with it and that the bank’s stamp of receipt acknowledgement embossed on 19 challans was not the original stamp of the bank and there was no signature of their staffs in the challan.
Further cross verification of the information furnished by the Directorate with bank statement of Vijaya Bank, Laitumkhrah branch information provided by Treasury office, it was found that the information furnished by the Directorate was false and cheque through which the amount was stated to have been deposited against bank particular challan was used for different purpose altogether.
The Director who was contesting the audit contention asserted that there was no truth in the allegation that the amount has been misappropriated, adding it disputed the amount pointed out by the audit and stated that an amount of Rs 5.74 lakh and Rs 1.51 lakh was reckoned twice in arriving at the figure of Rs 34.36 lakh.
However, the CAG report stated that the Directorate’s contention that amount of Rs 5.74 lakh and Rs 1.51 lakh were reckoned twice by audit was incorrect.
The CAG report recommended that the State Government should immediately order for full scale criminal investigation before the persons responsible for embezzlement could destroy the evidence, adding the prevalent scope of recording cash transaction carried out by the Directorate gives scope for manipulation.
