Directorate of Housing misused Rs 34.36 lakh VAT

SHILLONG: The Directorate of Housing faked documents to misappropriate Rs 34.36 lakh in value added tax for 2011-12 that never went to the government exchequer, said the Public Accounts Committee on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The report that was tabled in the Assembly on Friday said even State Bank of India certified that the amount claimed to have been deposited through 19 challans were never deposited and that the bank stamps of receipt acknowledgments embossed on the challans were fake. Also, there was no signature of SBI staff on the challans.
Earlier, the Directorate had contested the CAG report saying an amount of Rs 5.74 lakh and Rs 1.51 lakh were reckoned twice to arrive at the amount Rs 34.36 lakh. But the PAC report said the Directorate’s claim was incorrect.
The Committee observed that such misappropriation could occur only when there is connivance of officials from top to bottom.
The Committee asked the Department to ensure that the police investigation and an action taken report are completed by May 1 and action taken against those involved in the fund misuse.