Gauhati High Court directs government to place CAG report before PAC

 Alleged fund embezzlement in Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has directed the State Government to place report of the Accountant General (Audit), Assam before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) related to embezzlement of a large amount of public money meant for public purposes.

The Amguri Naba Nirman Samity had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Gauhati High Court (PIL/3/2022) seeking a " writ in the nature of Mandamus by directing the respondents to cause a high-level enquiry to find out the corrupt officials of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department of Assam who are involved in the corruption of misappropriating the public money and to do the needful for punishment of such officials in accordance with law; direct/command the State Government officials/respondents to take into account the Audit reports of Accountant General (Audit), Assam and do the needful to fix responsibilities upon the erring officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department of Assam and to recover the misappropriated money for proper utilization of the same in its true perspective".

The court was informed that as per the report of the Accountant General (Audit), Assam, for the period from 01.02.2010 to 31.01.2011, certain irregularities had been flagged against officials of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Government of Assam. Considering the large-scale embezzlement of public funds, the petitioner sought a probe by an independent agency.

The court observed that the allegations made in the petition were based on the CAG report and hence it would be appropriate to direct the State Government to place the same before the Public Accounts Committee. The court order stated, "Accordingly, the State Government is directed to place the CAG report before the Public Accounts Committee to verify the contentions raised by the petitioner as regards embezzlement of large amount of public money meant for public purposes. The State Government will accordingly cause the matter to be placed before the Public Accounts Committee within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order."

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