An audit has unearthed alarming irregularities committed by three senior Chandigarh IAS officers during an official trip to France in 2015, casting doubts on the responsible use of public funds.
Vijay Dev, Anurag Agarwal, and Vikram Dev Dutt, then serving in key positions within the Chandigarh administration, embarked on the trip following an invitation from the Foundation Le Corbusier in Paris to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of renowned architect Le Corbusier, known for Chandigarh’s master plan.
The major lapse was first reported by The Indian Express and later by other media organisations.
Although the invitation originally designated only one officer, the Chief Architect of Chandigarh, the administration had okayed the trip for four bureaucrats, said media reports.
The reports added that the audit revealed that the Chandigarh IAS officers flouted regulations by approving each other’s travel plans, expanding a one-day visit into a seven-day excursion without proper authorisation.
Moreover, they disregarded the stipulation that foreign travel exceeding five days required screening committee approval.
The audit reportedly scrutinised the exorbitant expenses incurred, including business class airfare and luxurious hotel accommodations. Notably, the officers changed hotels midway, significantly inflating costs without valid justification. The total expenditure exceeded the initially sanctioned amount by approximately 40 percent, highlighting gross fiscal mismanagement.
Following the trip, the Chandigarh IAS officers facilitated the approval of inflated expenses for each other, further compounding the irregularities.
While two of the Chandigarh IAS officers were subsequently transferred, one retired from service. Despite their elevated positions, they failed to respond to inquiries regarding the audit findings, the reports claimed.
In response to these revelations and broader concerns about extravagant official travel, the administrator of Chandigarh issued stringent directives, mandating train travel to Delhi and restricting accommodation to government guesthouses. Emphasising the importance of fiscal prudence, the administrator underscored the moral obligation to safeguard public funds.
While the implicated Chandigarh IAS officers remained silent, the Administration said it is committed to scrutinising the audit observations and taking appropriate corrective measures.
(The Theorist could not independently verify the details of the expose.)
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