OUR CORRESPONDENT
MANGALDAI: Serious allegations of major corruption surfaced at Silbori Gaon Panchayat (GP) under the Dalgaon-Sialmari Development Block in Darrang district, involving approximately Rs 1.21 crore. According to Mohsina Khanam (president), Sahidul Islam (vice president), and other elected GP members, official cash book records, as shown by the in-charge Secretary Asaduz Zaman Asad, indicate a deposit of Rs 1,21,73,967 from the 15th Finance Commission in the GP’s mother account at the Kharupetia branch of Axis Bank. The cash book suggested a balance of at least Rs 55 lakh, but the bank statement revealed only Rs 14,558 remaining.
The elected members allege that between May 2023 and August 2024, Secretary Asaduz Zaman Asad and tax collector Furkan Ali siphoned off the funds, with around Rs 70 lakh withdrawn by the GP secretary Asaduz via cheques to his personal account and approximately Rs 30 lakh transferred to Furkan Ali’s account. They claim that this occurred with the complicity of certain corrupt officials in the block development office. Further, verification of schemes under the 15th Finance Commission for 2022-23 and 2023-24 revealed that only one scheme from 2022-23 was completed, while none from 2023-24 were completed.
On August 6, the GP submitted petitions to the Darrang District Commissioner and the Chief Executive Officer of Darrang Zilla Parishad, demanding an inquiry and recovery of the misappropriated funds. On Saturday, a protest (Raij Mel) at the GP office saw locals demanding legal action against the involved Panchayat and Rural Development (P&RD) staff and questioning the role of the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Dalgaon-Sialmari Development Block, the overseeing authority. BDO Rupa Moni Borah, when contacted by media, claimed ignorance of the alleged fraud until the accusations surfaced and said that she had forwarded the matter to the Darrang administration for action.
Meanwhile, as per the instruction of the District Commissioner, Parag Kumar Kakaty, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Darrang Zilla Parishad Manash Das has taken up an inquiry. The BDO has also reportedly as per the instruction of the CEO of DZP lodged an FIR at Dalgaon police station.
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