Bogus workers' issue rocks SDMC

Found discrepancies in attendance records, says Subhash Arya

The ghost of bogus employees seemed to have returned to the South Corporation where allegations have emerged that nine non-existing sanitation workers were drawing wages from the cash-strapped civic agency.

A police probe has now been sought by Leader of the House Subhash Arya who raised the matter during the municipal corporation’s meeting on Monday.

Cases of ghost employees against whose names the civic agency officials release monthly wages, only to pocket themselves, had come to light even before the Municipal Corporation of Delhi was trifurcated a few years ago.

Arya said he conducted a random check and found that attendance record of nine sanitation employees were tampered with.

“In one of the beats of west zone of SDMC, the attendance sheet showed nine employees having entered the office at exactly the same time, that is, 6.32.38 am,” said Arya, a BJP leader.

“It is not possible for nine people to enter at the same time and register their timings simultaneously on the biometric machine,” he said.

Arya also added that on behalf of these nine employees who had not been coming to work, attempts were made to draw full salary.

Crime Branch probe

“The connivance of officials needs to be probed by the Crime Branch of police,” he said. Citing an example, he said on identity number 72178108  registered in the name of a worker, Geeta, the wage was tried to be drawn in the name of Seema.

Involvement of SDMC officials and employees of the company which supplies biometric machines should also be probed into, said Arya.

As per an official, manipulation of confidential attendance data might have taken place at the corporation level.

South Corporation spokes-person Mukesh Yadav said: “The corporation is yet to confirm whether these nine employees are bogus names or are living persons.”

Arya alleged that he also found that the attendance sheet of sanitation workers did not have the watermark but carried the signatures of the officials.