Court orders FIR against North MCD office-bearers for embezzlement

The court was hearing the plea filed through advocate Prashant Manchanda seeking directions to Delhi Police for registering an FIR against the erring officials for embezzlement of government funds through various means for their own use instead of depositing the money in the municipal corporation’s treasury.

A Delhi court has directed registration of an FIR against office-bearers of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation on a plea filed by Guddi Devi Jatav, the councillor from Malkaganj. In her plea, Jatav alleged embezzlement of funds of over ₹97 lakh by the officials.

Court orders FIR against North MCD office-bearers for embezzlement (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The judge directed that a compliance report be filed by the SHO on June 6.

While passing the order, metropolitan magistrate Shefali Barnala Tandon also came down heavily on the Delhi Police not giving any “cogent reason” for not registering the case.

“..No cogent reason has been shown for not registering the FIR in the present matter, though there are serious allegations of embezzlement of government funds amounting to approximately ₹97 lakh as alleged by the complainant,” the judge said.

The court was hearing the plea filed through advocate Prashant Manchanda seeking directions to Delhi Police for registering an FIR against the erring officials for embezzlement of government funds through various means for their own use instead of depositing the money in the municipal corporation’s treasury.

The plea also stated that when Jatav tried to raise objections on the embezzlement of ₹97,54,519, the alleged persons, in order to save their skin and hush up the matter, made the cashier as the scapegoat and suspended him.

During trial, the Delhi Police filed a status report stating that a complaint was received against the treasurer at the Civil Lines police station on June 15, 2018, following which a vigilance enquiry was initiated against him and he had already been suspended.

The police had also said to settle the issue an amount of ₹83, 74, 395 was deposited to the North municipal corporation and hence no action was required. However, the court expressed shock.