Duo Superintendent and ‘Accountant’ of Skill Development embezzled in lakhs

White Collar Crime!

• The embezzled money must be recovered from the concerned officials who are involved in this embezzlement and should be utilized for which it was meant.
•  The Lt Governor must seek the report from the Skill Development Department about all these wrong doings in the department, which is not only loss to department but it also losing credibility among the people.

JJ CORRESPONDENT

Jammu, Jul 05: Why the Director Skill Development Department is silent over this big embezzlement? Why does not the Director seek an inquiry in this embezzlement, which has shaken the faith of people? Who is behind this big embezzlement and siphoning off the money from the department? Who will take action in this embezzling scam? Who will recover the embezzled money from the person who embezzled it? Will the Director lodge an FIR against the embezzlers who have embowelled? These are some serious concerns which should be addressed by the department especially by the Director so that the Skill Development Department be saved from the clutches of embezzlers.
When a person embezzles, it usually means that he is stealing money from his employer. If he is caught embezzling, it probably means that he will soon be fired out. The word embezzle implies more than “to steal”. When a person embezzles, he takes advantage of an employer’s/officer’s trust for personal gain.
In Government ITI Kupwara, District Kupwara, UT JK, the Superintendent, Abdul Rashid Bajad sought permission in 2019-2020 from Director, Skill Development Department JK UT for the approval of the recommendations that Institutional Development Fund, (IDF) available at ITI Kupwara, may be utilised to draw the salary of the employees working under VTIP scheme till budget under Plan head is released for the same. The approval was granted by the Directorate but on the condition that the amount to be drawn from IDF account should be reimbursed once the funds are allotted under Plan head of the budget for VTIP. The required amount of 9 lakh was drawn from IDF head by Superintendent ITI Kupwara, Abdul Rashid Bajad for paying of pay dues of VTIP (scheme) staff. At the appropriate time the due funds under plan budget were released by the Directorate for VTIP expenditure and sent to the concerned ITI to be reimbursed to the IDF head as already committed in black and white. The amount was not deposited in the IDF head by the Superintendent, Abdul Rashid Bajad, in a well thought of plan with his Junior Assistant, in whose charge the ledgers of account section were.
Meanwhile the Junior Assistant, (working as accountant) Mohd Rafeq Lone was transferred to ITI Lalpora. After some time the Superintendent, Abdul Rashid Bajad too was transferred to ITI Bandipora. The matter was put under the carpet, by the Accountant and the Superintendent. The new Superintendent, Mubashir Hafez Jan joined at ITI Kupwara and while taking over the charge, found the ledgers incomplete and account showing less amount than required to be.
He started correspondence with the Joint Directorate. In a document available with this office he writes that various letters in this regard to the official, Mohd. Rafeq Lone, with copy to the Joint Director, were sent asking the concerned clerk to explain his position and help in resolving the matter but the issue remains unresolved till date. He writes, in addition, in the letters that certain outstanding audit paras pertaining to the excess drawl/expenditure are unsolved.
It is learnt that the Superintendant, Abdul Rashid Bajad and Junior Assistant, Lone are passing the buck to each other regarding the embezzlement of money. It is also learnt through our source that, Junior Assistant, Lone deposited Rs in lakhs in IDF account of ITI Kupwara through the bank, just a week ago, though he is this time working in ITI Lalpora. So it is sufficient to prove that it is embezzlement.
Now the question arises if the present Superintendant of ITI Kupwara reported the matter to the Provincial Head, as is indicated in this official correspondence ITI/KUP/Estt/11-12 dated 09-04-22 why didn’t the Joint Director take an immediate action as required under rules. Why is he giving erring officer and official a chance to do anything with the record and evidence available against them? What role has Account Section of the Directorate played in their effort to recover the illegally taken money from the erring officials?
Embezzling is a so called “White Collar Crime” which often involves some sort of cover up like falsifying financial records or stealing certain amounts of money over a long period of time.
The Director, SDD is as such requested to intervene and fix the responsibility on the erring officials and act under rules for such officers who time and again break the rules and JD, Kashmir, should also be asked why at all he has been using dilly-dallying tactics in such a crime brought under his notice that too repeatedly through official as well as personal communication by the present Superintendant at ITI Kupwara.