Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 20: The vigilance organisation (VO) has registered a case against an ex-district programme officer (DPO) of ICDS project, Kathua, and some CDPOs for allegedly misappropriating the government money.
During a surprise VO check into the allegations of irregularities for purchase of nutrition and non-nutrition items in ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) project, Kathua , it was revealed that in 2014-15, then DPO Ravinder Nath Sadhu in connivance with CDPOs -- Sushma Gupta, Mukhtiyar Ahmed , Syeeda Parveen, Kulraj Singh, Neelam Bala, Rajeev Kumar and Satish Sharma -- under a well planned criminal conspiracy had purchased nutrition and non-nutrition items under ICDS project for distribution to various anganwari centres of Kathua district, VO sources said.
After scrutiny of documents, the VO team found that excess supply orders for purchase of nutrition items were placed against the actual requirement for ulterior motive to give undue favour to the supplier firms. On the other hand, in view of escalation of market rate of some items, PO, ICDS project, placed supply orders of less quantity against the actual requirement. Moreover, the items were also found sub-standard and no penal proceedings were initiated against the supplier firms in order to confer undue benefits on the firms, thereby causing a huge loss to the government money, the sources added. The accused, in connivance with supplier firms and others, had also purchased non-nutritional items on their own level without adopting any codal formalities, beyond their competence and in violation of the government orders issued from time to time, thereby misappropriating the government money meant for weaker sections of the society. VO has registered against the accused under section 5(2) of P C Act 2006 read with sections 120-B, 420-A, 467, 468 and 471 of RPC. |
