Chandigarh: A day after the Haryana govt sacked Naresh Bhuwani, superintendent, panchayat development department, and Randhir Singh, chief accounts officer, Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad, the state finance department is set to take action against the senior accounts officer and former executive of the Panchkula municipal corporation, Vikas Kaushik, for his role in siphoning off civic body funds worth Rs 160 crore.Kaushik was arrested by the Haryana state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau on April 3 and is currently in judicial custody. The tainted officer also faces an investigation by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), which has started a probe into the alleged bank fraud.Kaushik served under the finance department, which is considering strong action if the officer is found guilty. The department is awaiting reports from the vigilance bureau and the urban local bodies department, which governs the Panchkula civic body, to act.“Strict administrative action is imminent. But we need sufficient material to establish the official’s involvement. We are waiting for the first report from the agency so that we can proceed further,” said a finance department official.Kaushik was posted at the Panchkula municipal corporation in 2020. He has been accused of opening fake bank accounts by forging the signatures of senior officials posted in the corporation.Besides unearthing the financial transactions in his favour, the investigative agency has also brought on record the documentary and material evidence suggesting his direct involvement in the case.On Friday, the govt sacked Naresh Bhuwani and Randhir Singh for their involvement in the alleged Rs 593-crore bank fraud case, involving funds linked to various govt departments.The case was initially registered by the Haryana state vigilance bureau, and 15 accused persons were arrested. The probe has now been handed over to the CBI.MSID:: 130516928 413 |
