Silchar: Silchar Municipal Corporation (SMC) commissioner Ankur Das has suspended superintendent of accounts Raju Dey over alleged financial irregularities involving employees’ salaries and expenditure on development projects, a source said.The action follows a preliminary scrutiny of the corporation’s financial records, which reportedly revealed discrepancies, including suspected inflation of salary requirements. Dey allegedly failed to provide satisfactory details of funds allocated for salary payments and expenses incurred on development projects over the past few years.According to sources, the amounts recorded for salary payments were substantially higher than the actual requirements, raising questions over the corporation’s financial management.Dey’s appointment has also come under scrutiny. Sources said he was initially employed by the Goldighi Management Committee and was later brought into the civic administration during the tenure of former executive officer Sumit Sattawan to assist with accounts-related work.Questions have since been raised over how Dey secured a regular position in the corporation and rose to become superintendent of accounts.The suspension came days after housing and urban affairs minister Kaushik Rai chaired a review meeting at the Cachar deputy commissioner’s office in the presence of SMC mayor Amarendra Paul and deputy mayor Bijendra Prasad Singh.Sources said Rai expressed dissatisfaction over the corporation’s financial management and questioned financial management officer Debashis Saikia over alleged lapses. Dey’s functioning was also reportedly discussed at the meeting, where the possibility of disciplinary action was indicated.SMC executive officer Abhijit Bey and Saikia have been tasked with conducting a detailed inquiry into the alleged discrepancies and submitting a report.Meanwhile, at least five other employees, including an engineer and a staff member attached to the vehicle section, are under scrutiny over their alleged links to a suspected syndicate operating within the corporation, sources said.Sources said the inquiry could be expanded to cover allegedly questionable appointments made during previous administrations, potentially bringing the role of some former executive officers under scrutiny.
