The Diphu Treasury office was sealed by the authority following an FIR lodged at Diphu police station on Monday by Mukul Kumar Saikia, the deputy commissioner of Karbi Anglong and returning officer of Diphu and Howraghat Election districts.
The treasury office was sealed after an accountant of the treasury office brought allegations against “CEM” asking them to pass bills without valid documents.
The office was sealed in presence of additional deputy commissioner and magistrate Norsing Bey and additional superintendent of police Dibyoti Talukdar.
There was a rush of contractors and employees at Diphu Treasury Office due to the financial year ending.
However, the contractors and employees levelled allegations of demanding bribes against treasury officer Amarendra Sharma. The treasury officer allegedly demanded 1% on the amount of a bill to be cleared as a bribe.
With the end of the financial year as on March 31 the treasury office was gathered by a host of contractors and employees of different departments under Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to get their salary and non-salary bills cleared.
As this reporter visited the treasury office on the evening of Sunday, there was a rush of government employees as well as government contractors for getting signature of the treasury officer and token.
Several contractors, who remained stranded at the treasury office informed that they have been visiting the office for the last three to four days, but still their works have remained pending. Also employees of different government departments were there since morning to get cheques for both salary and non-salary.
The treasury officer and staff for the last two to three days were working late till midnight to get the cheques cleared.
“I have been here since yesterday and today to get cheque for salary and non-salary, but it is still pending at the treasury officer’s table. It is already 8 pm now and still we are waiting to complete the work,” said a grade IV employee who was processing non-salary bills.
Several contractors as well as government employees alleged that the treasury officer is taking bribe to process the bills.
When media persons questioned treasury officer Sharma about the allegations he denied it.
“I have been here from morning till late at night working to clear all pending cheques. The allegations levelled against me for taking bribe is false,” Sharma said.
Earlier in the afternoon at the chamber of ADC Norsing Bey, after due permission from the ADC, interviewed accountant Hemanjali Handique.
She said, “There are lots of cheques to be cleared. Sir would come and ask me to clear certain bills which do not have GST but VAT. Sir would say CEM want them to be passed. Nobody calls me but Sir would say that the CEM have called. In such a case I am helpless but to comply.”
However she did not take anyone’s name. She also have not mentioned any particular bill that have no proper document that was passed.
On Sunday night by 10 pm the treasury officer stopped signing cheques saying the fund has been exhausted. Following this, complaints were made to the DC, Mukul Kumar Saikia.
The DC lodged an FIR at Diphu police station against treasury officer Amarendra Sharma along with seven of the staff namely Accountant Hemanjali Handique, Ujjal Kumar Tanti, Mangal Ram Deo, Abhishek Das, Lonima Rongchehonpi, Utpal Gowami and Bimal Basumatary. The DC urged the police authority to arrest the erring officials under appropriate sections of CRPC, IPC and prevention of corruption Act, 1988.
The FIR also further mentioned that complaints against the TO has been received repeatedly.
While sealing the office, ADC Bey informed the media that the police have found some materials along with cash of Rs. 4000 of 500 denomination from the chamber of the treasury officer.