Assam: ACS officer Babulal Sarma removed from Guwahati Municipal Corporation

Just a day after the Assam Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell arrested seven officials of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) along with a director of a private firm for misappropriating crores of government funds meant for the execution of de-siltation work in the Guwahati city, (Rtd ACS) officer Babulal Sarma, who was appointed as the OSD has been removed from GMC.

Notably, the investigating committee who is handling the case removed OSD to the GMC, Babulal Sarma from his post effective October 21, 2022.

Further, the committee also decided that all the 7 arrests which have been made were based on a 3 months investigation, however, now the committee has decided to look back at their track record and dig out all people who were involved in the misappropriation of government funds via GMC.

It is to be mentioned here that the search operation continued in several locations in the city along with the 8 arrested personnel with regards to the ongoing investigation on October 22.

Speaking to the media, an official of the search team said, "Till now we have just noted down a few details and have also seized files which are related to GMC".

The search operation was held at four locations in the city by three teams from the CM Vigilance cell.

Notably from the residence of Alin Begum, executive officer (division-III), GMC in Chandmari the team has recovered a few documents related to GMC along with her property files.

On the other hand, Ashif Ahmed, executive officer and Swachhata officer, GMC is the owner of a residential building in the Six-mile area of the city, the vigilance team has reportedly seized lakhs of rupees along with GMC files.

Meanwhile, the Dinsan Global Venture Pvt Ltd whose office is at Beltola, Natun Bazar has also been raided along with his residential apartment and the team were able to seize documents related to the case along with bills which were used to forge weighbridge slips.

Earlier on October 22, based on an FIR on the basis of findings of a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell.

“The commissioner, Guwahati Municipal Corporation, detected some irregularities and illegalities in the execution of de-siltation work for which he ordered an inquiry by Pankaj Chakravarty, joint commissioner, GMC, and forwarded the inquiry report,” an official statement stated.

The inquiry report mentions a firm, Dinsan Global Venture Pvt Ltd, which was engaged in the hiring of vehicles and machineries for carrying out the de-siltation of channels/drains from April 2, 2022 to May 26, 2022.

“The firm submitted bills with forged weighbridge slips for several crores of rupees and withdrew the government funds. It also submitted inflated bills to GMC, showing the supply of vehicles/machineries at inflated rates,” the statement said.

“The officers and staff of GMC criminally conspired and did not implement de-siltation work as per terms and conditions laid down in the tender documents and payments were released to the contractors without proper execution of works based on forged and fake weighbridge slips for their own pecuniary benefits, misappropriating government funds meant for the development work of Guwahati city,” it said.

The arrested accused include Babulal Sarma, OSD (officer on special duty), GMC; Ashif Ahmed, executive officer and Swachhata officer, GMC; Shankar Medhi, executive officer (division-1), GMC; Ramakanta Saikia, executive officer (division-II), GMC; Alin Begum, executive officer (division-III), GMC;  Chittaranjan Dutta, executive officer (division-IV), GMC; Hiranya Barman, executive officer (division-V), GMC; and Dinesh Jaiswal, director, Dinsan Global Venture Pvt Ltd.

A case was registered at the vigilance police station under sections 120(B) /420/ 406/ 409/ 468/ 471 of IPC, read with Sections 13(1)(a)/13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the accused persons have been arrested.