DVAC Seizes Rs 1.64 Lakh From Civic Officials

VELLORE: The sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Vellore, on Wednesday conducted a raid on the premises of the Collectorate and seized unaccounted and unclaimed money to the tune of `1.64 lakh from the officials of the Local Fund Audit (LFA) wing and Executive Officers (EOs) of the Town Panchayats in the district.

Acting on a tip-off that the officials attached to the LFA wing and Executive Officers (EO) of the Town Panchayat have been indulging in graft to settle the objections in the local audit, the DVAC team led by Additional Superintendent of Police M Balasubramanian swarmed the conference hall in the Collectorate at about 4 pm. The raid went on till 8.30 pm. On seeing the sleuths, the EOs and their staff threw the bribe amount they had brought to give to the staff of the Town Panchayats. Currency notes were also found strewn in the hall.

“The unclaimed cash amounts to `86, 630. The notes were found beneath the chairs and tables where the Eos and their staff sit,” said a source and added that the team also seized `77,820 of unaccounted cash from the LFA.

Sources said a total of 12 audit staff of LFA wing had been engaged in the objection settlement exercise. They would go through the explanation and rectification reports raised in the local audit. The officials, conducting the audit, would see for violations in spending the fund allocated for developmental works in local body.

“If there are no proper vouchers and receipts and violation in spending the money, the officials will call for an explanation from the respective EOs to submit an explanation and rectification reports. Departmental action will be taken against the officials, who fail to submit proper reports at the audit objection settlement,” said an official in the district administration.