Assam govt refers case against former NRC coordinator to Directorate of Economic and Vigilance: CM Sarma
Apr 12, 2023
Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 12 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the state government has referred the case against former NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela for the alleged financial irregularities in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updation process in Assam to the Directorate of Economic and Vigilance.
"We have referred the case to the Directorate of Economic and Vigilance. We have asked the Directorate to register an FIR officially," the Assam CM said while addressing a press conference in Guwahati.
He also said that, if Prateek Hajela wants to go to VRS, he can do so.
"He is an officer and he will come to Assam. If he doesn't want to do work, then why we will give him a salary? If he wants to go to VRS, he can. But when the police will call him then he has to come. VRS and enquiry are two different matters. If VRS will given to him then it will be the victory of the people of Assam," Sarma said.
Earlier, Assam Public Works (APW) - the primary petitioner in the writ petition WP(C) 274/2009 pending before the Supreme Court, sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged a major corruption in the updation of National Register of Citizen (NRC) in the state of Assam.
The APW said in the letter, "The updation of NRC was taken up in 2013 in Assam under the direct monitoring of the Supreme Court of India. Though the program was to be completed within three years, it is yet to be completed to date due to the irresponsible performance of the then State Coordinator, NRC Prateek Hajela (IAS) and there is hardly any chance that it is completed in near future".
"Leaving apart the mismanagement of Prateek Hajela, (IAS), the then State Coordinator, there has been large scale corruption in the Rs 1,600 crore project by Prateek Hajela, (IAS) which has been reflected in the report of the Comptroller General of India (CAG) which was tabled before the State Assembly a couple of months ago. It is seen in the CAG report that there have been financial irregularities to the tune of a huge Rs 260 crore. Against remuneration to the data entry operators only, Rs 155.88 crore was siphoned off depriving the contractual staff. The Comptroller General of India held Prateek Hajela, (IAS) responsible for this huge corruption," the letter added.
