CBI books official for diverting IAF officers’ pay
PANKAJ KUMAR HAS ALSO BEEN ACCUSED BY HIS DEPARTMENT OF INCREASING THE SALARY DRAWN BY HIM IN 2014, 2016 AND 2017
A senior official posted in Principal Controller of Defence Account's (PCDA) Air Force division was booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly misappropriating government funds over ₹1.81 crore.
The money was meant to be paid as salaries for the officers of air force and staff of defence account department.
The official, identified as Pankaj Kumar, is posted as the senior auditor at PCDA (AF) in the Dehradun office and was responsible for payment of salaries, allowances and claims of officers of Indian Air Force.
Based on a complaint filed by the department of the accused, the probe agency registered an FIR against Kumar under IPC sections for criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and other relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to the FIR, Kumar allegedly diverted the funds into bank accounts of fictional persons between 2014-17. He has also been accused by his department of increasing the salary drawn by him in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
"It was brought to the notice of this office that Shri Pankaj Kumar, senior auditor, misappropriated a huge amount in complicit with others. Accordingly a detailed enquiry was carried out by this office. This enquiry has revealed that Shri Pankaj Kumar while posted and functioning as Senior Auditor of Admin — Pay Section of PCDA (AF) Dehradun responsible for preparation of Daily Payment (DP) sheets and transaction list, which contains salary to be credited and account number of employee, added names of fictitious persons who were not on the payroll of this office during the period January 2014 to January 2017," the FIR stated.
A total of 10 such bank accounts were discovered during the PCDA’s inter-departmental enquiry.
The quantum of payments, according to the FIR, was revealed to be more than ₹1.81 crore. The FIR further stated that besides payments into bank accounts of fictitious persons, Kumar allegedly increased his own salary in January 2014 by ₹15,800. In December 2016 and January 2017, he further increased his salary by ₹25,001.
The probe agency has now taken over the case.