KOCHI: The CBI probing the irregularities in the printing and disbursal of the Kerala Bar Council Welfare Fund stamps and misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 7.61 crore has filed a report in the High Court stating that there has been no auditing of the accounts of the welfare fund trust since 2007.
It was also stated that Babu Scaria, the second accused and a conspirator in the scam, received more than Rs 3 crore as revealed from his bank statements. “Only an extensive forensic audit can reveal the actual amount collected and this is essential to ascertain whether fake stamps were sold and also whether a higher amount is involved,” stated CBI.
No records had been maintained from 2007 to 2017 and they had been kept shabbily. Moreover, the responsible officials had not cared to verify how the money was being collected, maintained and utilised. Nobody verified the records and during this long period, the records were not even audited though the trustee committee was under obligation to get the records audited.