BHUBANESWAR: The Lokayukta of Odisha has received complaint against a senior bureaucrat accused of getting medical bills reimbursed and allowances paid in contravention of the rules of the organisation he had served five years ago.
RTI activist Srikant Pakal has lodged the complaint before Chairman of Lokayukta Justice Ajit Singh seeking probe against the IAS officer and appropriate legal action besides recovery of the amount paid.
This is first ever complaint of corruption before Lokayukta Odisha after Justice Singh assumed office as its first chairperson on March 20.
In his complaint, Pakal alleged that the officer had got medical bills amounting to Rs 9,46,071 towards hospitalisation of his wife and father reimbursed during a three year period.
Pakal alleged that the officer had also received an incentive of Rs 4,28,203 though he was not eligible for such incentive or bonus.
Quoting an inspection report of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) which objected to the illegal payouts by the Odisha State Cooperative Bank, he said the officer was not a staff member of the Bank as per staff service Rules and he should not have been paid the amount.
Nabard had conducted the inspection between February 14 and March 6.
Though there were recommendations from the government for reimbursement in two phases on budget constraints with the Cooperation Department and in one case there was no recommendation from the government, the bills were reimbursed in violation of prevailing rules.
“Under the Section 3(4) of the Odisha Cooperative Societies Act, persons appointed to assist the Registrar of Cooperative Society shall exercise the power conferred on him subject to general superintendence and control of the Registrar.
There is no policy or guideline or order approved by Registrar by which the officer would be eligible for various benefits,” the activist pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Nabard has advised the Registrar of Cooperative Society to determine the entitlements of MIC, President and Directors on the board of the Bank on the basis of rules, not discretion.