Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has ordered an inquiry into the embezzlement of funds through payment of salaries to ‘ghost’ teachers in Delhi government schools.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has ordered an internal inquiry into the alleged irregularities in engagement of guest teachers in state government schools and embezzlement of funds through payment of salaries to ‘ghost’ teachers.
he LG secretariat has asked the chief secretary to advise director (education) to immediately verify the engagement, physical attendance, and withdrawal of salaries of all guest teachers engaged by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in its schools, adding a status report has to be submitted within 30 days.
The LG has observed that the instances of non-existent guest teachers and embezzlement of funds are of “serious concern” and cannot occur without “connivance of the principals/vice principals/accounts staff”, the note from the LG secretariat read.
Such instance of fraudulent drawl of government funds should be met with exemplary and deterrent action. The mechanism of internal audit should be strengthened so that such instance do not go unnoticed and unpunished,” the note read.
This comes days after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena gave his nod for Anti-Corruption Branch probe against two serving and two retired vice principals for allegedly withdrawing salaries in the name of ‘ghost’ teachers at a Delhi government school. An amount of Rs 4.21 lakh was allegedly withdrawn in the name of three guest teachers during 2016-2018, when neither of the three were appointed to the school.
The LG’s move is likely to intensify the tussle between the LG office and the AAP dispensation, who are at loggerheads over several issues.
