CBI files charges against former DC of West Kameng and two other officials in corruption case

ITANAGAR- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed chargesheets against three accused, including the then Dy. Commissioner (DC), West Kameng, the then F & AO and the then Cashier, both from the office of the Deputy Commissioner, West Kameng, in a case related to corruption/embezzlement of public funds.

The other two officials are Nor Bahadur Sonar (then finance and accounting officer) and Rinchin Phuntsok (then cashier).

The chargesheet contains serious allegations against the three accused. Padma Jaishwal, the former district director of West Kameng, is accused of abusing her official position through corrupt and illegal means.

It was also alleged that the accused (then DC) called the cashier and F&AO to her office on several occasions and asked them to withdraw cash for refund and that the said amounts were allegedly embezzled.

It was further alleged that the then accused DC, in a conspiracy with the other two accused, had committed gross procedural irregularities by procuring bills of exchange and Deposit at Call Receipts (DCRs) worth Rs. 28 lakh to release the amount from the government treasury in collusion with the Cashier and the FAO.

She is accused of withdrawing cash from a government account for personal use, issuing cheques and transferring money to personal accounts at the SBI in Chandigarh.

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It is alleged that she frequently summoned Rinchin Phuntsok and Nor Bahadur Sonar to her office and instructed them to withdraw cash for return, which was subsequently embezzled.

During the course of investigation, it was found that the trio is accused of conspiring to issue bills of exchange and deposit at call receipts (DCRs) amounting to Rs 28 lakhs to facilitate the release of funds from the government exchequer. The funds were reportedly used to purchase private properties in the name of relatives of Jaishwal.