SIT to probe Rs 180-cr Gurugram MC advertisement scam

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, June 27 

Haryana Lokayukta on Sunday ordered to formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe Rs 180 crore advertisement ‘scam’ of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram.

According to the mandate, the SIT will comprise one retired District and Sessions Judge and two retired competent officers from the Municipal Corporation who were never posted in MCG and are of impeccable integrity.

Abhay Jain, convener of Manav Awaaj, had filed a complaint in the office of Haryana Lokayukta in 2015 against the MCG for not recovering Rs 180 crore as advertisement tax from the big mall owners and builders.

Lokayukta Justice Nawal Kishore Aggarwal observed in the judgement that the connivance of the public servants of MCG with the advertising agencies for embezzlement of hundreds of crores, at the relevant times i.e. from 2010 to 2014-15 is apparent.

The Lokayukta ordered that the SIT “to enquire/investigate into the matter (Rs 180 crore unpaid advertisement tax) and whosever are found guilty, be punished by taking strict disciplinary /departmental action against them (MCG officers) besides recovering the dues from their pocket”.

The MCG officers had submitted before the Lokayukta court that the MCG could not recover the amount due to the various cases pending in different courts.