Misappropriation of saroops: Probe report finds CA, former SGPC chief secy delinquent

AMRITSAR The Akal Takht-appointed panel that probed into the misappropriation of 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib points out that timely computerisation of the accounts

AMRITSAR The Akal Takht-appointed panel that probed into the misappropriation of 328 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib points out that timely computerisation of the accounts by the private firm hired for the purpose could have averted the incident. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) uploaded the 1,100-page report on its website on Wednesday.

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The SGPC had hired SS Kohli and Associates on a monthly fee of ₹3.5 lakh in January 2009 for conducting the annual internal audit. The probe penal found that the firm was allotted four key works — internal audit (pre/concurrent audit on daily basis), including stores etc. at all locations, computerisation of accounts on regular basis of all the location, implementation of internal control system as suggested by a renowned consultancy firm, and implementation of online system proposed and designed by the consultancy firm — at the time of the hiring.

“Chartered accountant (CA) Satinder Singh Kohli did only one work, but he was given the fee for all the four works. One of the works was computerisation of the printing press’s accounts. Had the timely computerisation been done, the misappropriation (of the saroops) could not have occurred,” reads the report.

It further says: “It was the responsibility of former SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh to get all the works done from the CA. The money which was paid to the CA was the donation of the devotees. Roop Singh had irresponsibly gave the money to the CA. So a departmental and criminal action is needed against Roop Singh.”

Roop Singh had quit on “moral and ethical grounds” and his resignation was accepted by the SGPC executive on August 27. The report that was partially made public by the SGPC on August 27 had held Roop Singh and 13 other officials and staff members of the publication and allied departments responsible for the missing saroops. SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal had also taken departmental action against the erring officials, besides promising criminal action against some officials, barring Dr Roop Singh. The SGPC later took a U-turn on criminal action.

The probe panel in its report also pre-empts resignations from accused officials. “Despite their resignations, the executive committee should take appropriate action against them, otherwise it will leave a leave a bad precedent for other employees,” says the report.

A year after being picked by the SGPC, the audit firm’s monthly fee was increased by ₹75,000 per month in 2010. The probe team found that the SGPC increased the fee of the firm even as it did little to computerise the SGPC accounts and other records.

“The SGPC had been paying the audit firm for the last 10 years for no work. If the mistake was committed by an official or an employee, he or she would have been sacked, but it is very unfortunate that the SGPC’s executive committee, which has supreme rights, had been increasing the contract of the firm without reviewing Kohli’s work,” reads the report.

It further says, “The money of the sangat and the misappropriation of the saroops of Guru Granth Sahib could have been stopped, if the printing press’s record had been put online, besides conducting a regular audit. The firm is also a partner in the crime.”