TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Cuncolim Municipal Council has once again come under the scanner of the Anti-Corruption
Bureau.
The ACB is now probing into the procurement of CFL lamps by the civic body in the year 2012 during the tenure of former Chief Officer Shivaji Desai. Herald understands that the ACB sleuths had called the incumbent Chief Officer Pravin Barad and the then accountant employed with the Cuncolim municipality for questioning.
The Chief Officer, however, is believed to have written back to the ACB stating that the accountant is no more attached to the civic body. Given the situation, the ACB has now written to the Directorate of Accounts to make available the accountant to the investigating agency for interrogation in the matter.
A senior ACB official said probe into the CFL lamp procurement is at the preliminary stage, adding that the same has been initiated following a complaint received by the investigating agency.
This is the third instance wherein the ACB has initiated a probe into decisions taken by the Cuncolim Municipal Council. While the procurement of CFL lamps had taken place last year, the question of the fixed deposit of Rs 35 lakh not being shown on the cash book and the construction of the health club without work order had arisen before the 2012 Assembly polls.
