*Board Secy orders probe, directs for lodging FIR
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 8: J&K Board of School Education (BOSE) authorities have ordered probe after a case of alleged embezzlement worth over Rs 12 lakhs, came to light in Mendhar Sub Office of School Board in district Poonch.
Secretary, J&K Board of School Education, Veena Pandita has directed to lodge FIR against the employees/ staff members involved and also ordered termination of the temporary employee who was handling cash in the Board Sub Office Mendhar for the last several years. While the staff at Board office Mendhar tried to down play the incident and claimed that an inquiry has been initiated on the directions of the Secretary, BOSE, the sources in Jammu BOSE office disclosed that embezzlement worth over Rs 10 to 12 lakhs has been reported.
On being contacted, Secretary BOSE, said that the action was initiated after the Incharge officer, Sub Office BOSE, Mendhar, Mohd Jamil informed about misappropriation/ embezzlement of the money in the said office. Accordingly, a team of School Board office from Jammu led by Assistant Secretary, Suraj Mani was constituted. The team is there at Mendhar for the last two days. They have seized the record and are holding inquiry.
Pandita further revealed that the inquiry team will bring the seized record to Jammu and a team of experts involving Accounts officers will scrutinize it. The exact amount involved is being worked out. She said though the amount is said to be in lakhs but it will pre-mature to tell anything about it. “Let the inquiry be completed in next 5-6 days and then I will be able to give the information about exact amount involved, she added.
When asked about the action taken against the temporary employee and others for allowing him to handle cash worth lakhs, Secretary said she has directed to the concern officials to lodge an FIR against the employee and also ordered his termination from the services. She said the inquiry committee will look into the role of other concerned officials.
Incharge, BOSE Sub Office, Mendhar, Mohd Jamil when contacted and asked why this temporary employee, Sultan Mehmood alias Ramzan was allowed to handle cash worth lakhs, Jamil said he had taken over the charge hardly in May this year. He claimed that earlier, one Ramesh Chander was Incharge Board Sub Office Mendhar and there were only three employees in Board office. Due to shortage of staff, he was perhaps dealing with the cash. Moreover, the matter pertains to last few years. Two temporary employees were provided by the BOSE authorities during recent past and now they are dealing with the cash. Actually, they brought the matter to his notice and after detecting some mischief in accounts, he took up the matter with the higher authorities in Jammu. He claimed that Sultan Mehmood was also asked to appear before the higher officials and he was fully cooperating with the Inquiry Committee team.
Sources in the BOSE office Jammu revealed that Sultan Mehmood, was dealing with the cash for the last several years. There were only three employees placed in this BOSE Sub Office since long and they were unable to bear the work load. He was working as clerk and cashier as well and the new staff after scrutiny detected massive irregularities and embezzlement. Earlier, the local staff tried to hush up the matter but as the information was leaked to the heads of a few locals Govt Schools, they started inquiring about the matter. Realising gravity of the matter, the I/C BOSE Sub Office Mendhar then informed the senior officials about the matter.
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