The probe into the presence of a large number of "ghost employees" in the MCD assumed a new dimension, with the civic agency informing the Crime Branch that the total number of such employees was 43,487 and not 29,680, as mentioned earlier.
In an affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court
overseeing the probe, Vivek Gogia, Additional Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing) of the Crime Branch said a clarification has been sought from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on the revised figures — almost double that of the earlier estimate.
The court was hearing a public interest petition filed by an NGO, complaining that MCD paid salary to over 22,000 gardeners and sweepers who existed as employees only on paper.
"The MCD had supplied details of 29,680 substitute safai karamcharis and physical verification of these employees was already under process,” said the Crime Branch affidavit.
“It has been found that in the report of the committee of Additional Commissioner, MCD, regarding dated March 15, 2010, it has been mentioned that there were about 43,487 substitute karamcharis. A clarification in this regard has been sought from MCD," the affidavit mentioned.
The court had transferred the probe to the Crime Branch of Delhi Police and directed its Commissioner to undertake a thorough investigation into the scam after being dissatisfied with the in-house probe report submitted by the MCD.
The MCD had admitted it was an administrative lapse
that has been costing the civic body a whopping Rs. 17 crore every month.