Why are missing staff paid,HC asks MCD

“This affidavit conceals everything and discloses nothing. Moreover,it does not commit anything. We think even a half-page affidavit with relevant content would have been better,” a Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Mukta Gupta told MCD counsel,BJP spokesperson and senior advocate Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Prasad said the affidavit filed along with the investigation report summed up how the issue of ghost employees cropped up due to their non-registration with the biometric attendance system.

After perusing the affidavit,Justice Lokur wanted to know whether the MCD had stopped paying salaries to these employees. Reluctant to answer the query,Prasad tried to draw the court’s attention to the fact that the problem surfaced due to substitute employees and the MCD had planned time-bound actions. “The court can see the investigation report and verify our bona fide,” he added.

His argument,however,failed to deflect the judge’s attention. “You first tell us whether you have stopped paying salaries to them. Your own document says those who have not been registered with the biometric system are not being paid money. You must ensure that these 22,853 employees are not paid salaries at all,” Justice Lokur asked.

Prasad then said the agency’s affidavit clearly stated that nobody “who was not working” was paid any money. “It is not about who is really working with you and who is not. All we want to know is if you have been paying salaries to them. If yes,you must tell us how you pay them without their being registered with your own identification system. Assuming you pay Rs 5,000 to each employee,you end up paying Rs 11 crore every month to nobody,” the Bench observed.

“The MCD’s affidavit does not disclose these facts. It is not clear whether 22,853 employees are being paid or not. A specific affidavit needs to be filed on this issue by May 26,” the court directed.

Newsline on Tuesday had highlighted the main points of the MCD’s report that admitted to the scam due to “collusion between the employees’ union that is affiliated to various political groups and some junior officers of the MCD”.

DDA top official told to appear in High Court
After top officials of the MCD and the Slums and JJ department,it will be the turn of the vice-chairman of the Delhi Development Authority to make an appearance in the court for not following its orders. On Wednesday,Justice Lokur passed an order seeking his presence on May 19. The directive was issued after the DDA counsel failed to submit their affidavit in court despite being given repeated opportunities. “It is high time you should realise the court’s orders are to be implemented,” the court said. The DDA was supposed to submit a report on the allotments of residential and commercial premises made for disabled category persons.