Whiff of a scam in police poll duty allowances, probe ordered

Delhi Police have ordered a probe in an alleged scam in which the election duty allowance of some its personnel was withdrawn fraudulently using forged signatures.

The alleged scam pertains to the 2015 assembly elections, when police personnel across all units were asked to report for duty and paid Rs 150 as allowance every day. RTI documents show that, among others, the money was paid to a constable who has reportedly gone missing and marked absent from duty.

The principal’s office at the Delhi Police Training College in Jharoda Kalan has received a complaint that said that a large share of the allowance had been allegedly withdrawn using fake signatures.

Last month, a constable had filed a complaint alleging that their election duty allowance was siphoned off by unknown persons by forging signatures. The constable is learnt to have filed an RTI seeking copies of files related to the election duty allowance. In reply to his RTI application, the constable was given a receipt containing the names of the police personnel with their signatures.

Documents accessed by the constable under RTI showed one officer constable Naveen— ‘missing from duty’ for the last two years — to have signed and received his allowance along with others. Two other officers, who are physically disabled and not able to drive vehicles, have also been shown to have worked and received the money.

An ACP rank officer has been asked to probe the disbursal of allowances to all departments within the Police Training College. While the police have ordered an inquiry probing the scale of the alleged fraud, sources said that till now 34 officials have claimed not to have received the money.

DCP Gnanasambandan, principal at Police Training College, said that they were conducting an inquiry in the case. “Our inquiry so far has revealed that the person who lodged the complaint received the allowance in front of four witnesses. We were busy in the Republic Day arrangement and I am yet to look at the file. There appears to be no wrongdoing.”

Sources said that the complainant, a police constable, along with few others have been asked to present before the inquiry committee on Monday for recording their statements.

Sources claimed that on Friday, many of the 34 officials, who had complained, were made to sign documents stating they had already received the money.

After the assembly elections, the police headquarters had sent the extra allowance for all officers posted at the PTC in Jharoda Kalan. While other departments immediately disbursed the money, the line officer of the motor transport section at PTC which deals with police vehicles, reportedly kept the payment on hold.

“We went to the line officer but we were told that they are yet to get the money. In October, one of us learnt that the money had reached the motor transport section. One of our colleagues then filed an RTI seeking the receipt. The receipt shows Constable Naveen came to office signed the papers and took his money. How is that possible because he has been absent from work for last two years,” said one of the officers.