GUWAHATI: Assam Public Works (APW), the original petitioner in the Supreme Court on the update of National Register of Citizens, has requested the anti-corruption branch of CBI to institute a high-level probe into the NRC revision exercise, alleging misappropriation of government funds sanctioned for it.
In a letter to the officer in-charge of CBI (anti-corruption branch) here on Thursday, the city-based rights group alleged that large-scale illegalities and financial irregularities were committed in the NRC update process under the then state coordinator, Prateek Hajela and his aides, and as per information, an amount of Rs 1600 crore approximately has already been released by the Centre.
“We are, as the main petitioner (in the writ petition WP (C) 274/2009 pending before the Supreme Court), closely monitoring the process of updating the NRC in Assam since its inception. We humbly request your good self to enquire the whole process of utilisation of the amount by your good office,” the rights group stated.
Citing examples, the APW stated in the letter that “the previous NRC state coordinator (Hajela) appointed a number of retired government servants as advisors and they were provided new vehicles and handsome salary packages.” “As per information, huge corruption took place in this process. The types of work done by these advisors are also not known, and further, no records are available in this regard, and it is not audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG),” it stated.
Several school teachers were engaged in the NRC update process but no remuneration has been paid to them, it alleged. “But huge money is shown to have been paid to such teachers. In this process, a huge amount of money has been misappropriated by the previous NRC state coordinator with his close aides,” the NGO alleged.
“About 10,000 laptops were purchased by the then NRC state coordinator, Hajela at a cost of Rs 44,000 per laptop. After a survey, it has come to light that the market value of one such laptop is Rs. 22,500. Besides, about 11,000 electric generators were purchased at double the actual price,” it alleged.
The rights group further alleged that “Hajela, in the name of protection from the Supreme Court of India did not allow statutory audit of the NRC because huge financial irregularities were committed. If enquired properly, the truth will come out.”
“Moreover, Hajela, as per his own wish, appointed a private counsel paying a huge amount of money, and that too ,without the approval of the Union ministry of law and justice and the Register General of India,” APW alleged in the letter.
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