GUWAHATI, Sept 28 - Raids on former Assam Police DIG PK Dutta�s property after his alleged involvement in the SI recruitment exam question paper leakage scam, have raised serious questions about the Assam government�s mechanism to keep track on the wealth and annual turnover of government officers.
With new inputs about the former police official�s huge property accumulation coming to light, public activists have expressed their shock and dismay as to whether the government has any clue of wealth amassment by its officials proportionate to the salaries earned by them.
President of NGO Save Guwahati Build Guwahati (SGBG) Krishno K Borooah told The Assam Tribune that the exam paper leakage scam has blown the lid off a Pandora�s Box of scams.
�Now, when the probe is on, it�s natural for people to be skeptical about the role of other police officials and other higher-ups in the government departments. How does a retired police officer manage to escape unnoticed if he is not supported by someone from within the system! This indicates that many high-profile persons and some senior police personnel might be behind the paper leakage scam,� Borooah added.
Ironically, the ex-DIG had left behind a few of his henchmen in the department who follow his guidance. Otherwise, how can a retired person leak papers of State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB) without help from inside, Borooah further questioned.
The NGO further added that as per government rule, every government officer has to submit a statement on his/her wealth annually. However, the huge property of the former police officer suggests that the government hardly checks those records.
Demanding that the ex-DIG be allowed to retain only the property he has disclosed in the government records, the NGO said that a separate cell should be constituted under the Chief Minister to put an eye on the annual returns of government officials.
�If the government is really serious about uprooting corruption, it should start from cleaning its own house. We suggest that a software be developed with the names of all government officials from the BDO level to the additional secretary level, wherein the annual turnover of the government officials is updated. If the person does not provide an accurate record of his or her annual income, then that official�s salary should stop automatically,� the SGBG added.
