Local bodies dept yet to act against Rampura Phul civic body head

On complaint of 2 councillors, SDM conducted inquiry and had indited the municipal corporation president

BATHINDA: Despite him being indicted for alleged financial irregularities and a no-confidence motion been passed against him, the local bodies department is yet to take action against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Rampura Phul Municipal Council (MC) president Sunil Kumar Bitta.

The Rampura Phul sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), in his report in April, had indicted the MC president, who is a close associate of former Punjab minister Sikander Singh Maluka, and three employees of urban body, for alleged financial irregularities. The SDM had recommended for Bitta to be removed from the post and to register a case against the four. Also, a no-confidence motion was passed against Bitta by the municipal councillors on June 8.

Even after a month of the no-confidence motion, neither has a case has been registered against Bitta nor has he been removed from his post. The then Rampura Phul SDM, Narinder Singh Dhaliwal, had conducted an inquiry into the functioning of MC, on complaint by two councillors. In the inquiry, it was established that he had misused his position, causing financial loss to the MC and monetary benefits to some.

The report was submitted to Bathinda deputy commissioner Diprava Lakra, who forwarded it to the local bodies department in June. Director local bodies department, Kamal Kishore Yadav, who earlier had accepted of having received the report said that the file regarding the inquiry report is with additional chief secretary local bodies department Satish Chandra. About no-confidence motion he said that this matter might also be with Chandra’ office who is competent authority to deal with this.

Chandra said that he is not aware of the inquiry by SDM but said that a notice has been issued to Bitta regarding the no-confidence motion and he has to reply within three weeks.

Congress’s Rampura Phul MLA Gurpreet Singh Kangar said that he came to know about the inquiry through media. “If Bitta has been indicted in the report, a case should be registered against him. I haven’t raised the matter with the officials because I might have to face allegations of political vendetta if I do so,” he said.