Thiruvananthapuram: Biju Lal, a senior accounts officer with the Vanchiyoor Sub Treasury in Thiruvananthapuram, who was found to have swindled Rs 2 Crores from the District Collector’s account with the Sub Treasury, has been terminated from the service with immediate effect, here on Monday.
A high-level meeting of the Government officials, chaired by the Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, decided on terminating the accountant for siphoning off the money from the Sub Treasury. The officials at the meeting assessed that Biju Lal’s offence was a cybercrime of serious nature. The order was effected without even serving a notice. Except for the Treasury Officer who found out the swindling incident, all other employees with the Vanchiyoor Sub Treasury have been served with transfer orders.
A 5-member Inquiry Committee, which includes officials from the Finance Department and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been formed to investigate the financial fraud. The Committee will also look into the possibility of the involvement of any other staff in the swindling case, besides other matters. The Committee is to submit the report within five days. Any required action against other Treasury staff would be initiated after the committee files the report.
Read: India's first solar ferry 'Aditya' wins global honour
It has also been decided to run a thorough security audit to find out if the Treasury software has been tampered with and manipulated. The Treasury Director has already filed a report to the Finance Department Additional Chief Secretary pointing out that the staff with the Sub Treasury and the District Secretary have failed in their roles. Followed by this, the Finance Minister held a high-level meeting with the officials, including the Finance Secretary and the NIC officials, who are responsible for the Treasury software.
The incident came to light late last week when the Treasury Officer checked the accounts to send them to the Accountant General. As there was a shortage and the accounts did not tally up, the officer, checked further to find that Rs 2 Crore has been swindled on May 31. The case is based on finding that Rs 2 Crore has been swindled by senior accountant Biju Lal from the District Collector’s account with the Sub Treasury in Vanchiyoor. Biju Lal has reportedly siphoned off the money by tampering with the Treasury software and using a retired officer’s password to approve the transaction.
Meanwhile, Biju Lal is still in hiding. The anticipatory bail petition that was filed by him through the E court has been rejected. The police are on the lookout for him.
