ACB registered a case against officials of Motor Vehicle Department Jammu

Kathua, July 02 (HS). The J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a case FIR 09/2024 PS ACB Jammu against Manju Sharma, the then Junior Assistant in Motor Vehicles Department, Regional Transport Office, Jammu and other officials under section 13(1)(a) r/w 13(2) PC Act 1988 and sections 120-B, 409 of IPC.

As per information received in communication dated 06-03-2023, it is likely to be misused from 2018 onwards till it is collected through online mode. During investigation conducted by ACB, it was revealed that Manju Sharma Junior Assistant was deputed in Accounts Section, Regional Transport Office Jammu to collect Passenger Tax from owners of passenger commercial vehicles during the relevant period. While collecting Passenger Tax arrears she acted dishonestly and resorted to haphazardly concealing the actual amount of Passenger Tax received from vehicle owner operators, showing only a small portion of the amount in official records as compared to the amount collected on account of Passenger Tax. Only the amount of Passenger Tax shown in the counterfoil of Government receipts was deposited in the Government treasury, while the balance amount collected from vehicle owners-operators was misused by her. Further, during this period, manual cash book, day book and vehicle-wise details relating to collection and deposit of Passenger Tax arrears were not properly maintained, thereby paving the way for misuse of Passenger Tax arrears. During verification it was revealed that an amount of more than 10 lakh has been misappropriated in view of random cross checking of some copies of GR and copies of owner's GR. This may increase further in respect of other passenger commercial vehicles of Jammu as revealed during investigation. The role of officials of RTO office Jammu in promoting such misappropriation of passenger tax amount during that period cannot be ruled out. By acting in this manner the then Junior Assistant Manju Sharma in criminal conspiracy with other employees of RTO office Jammu committed fraudulent and dishonest misappropriation of huge amount of passenger tax collected from various owner operators during that period. Further investigation is going on in the matter.