PANAJI
With a Labour Inspector and a retired officer under scrutiny for allegedly manipulating the registration process under the Shops and Establishment Act, the Labour Department is set to re-open the case, which was nearly shut after a ‘punishment transfer’ of the errant Inspector in 2020.
Sources informed The Goan that the department has already initiated a high-level inquiry against the Inspector and his accomplice despite the absence of a formal complaint.
“We are aware of large-scale corruption that began soon after the Covid outbreak as quite a few government services switched online. Although no official complaint has been registered in this matter, we can still conduct an inquiry to uncover the root cause of this corruption,” the source said.
The department has come under scrutiny as the scam, which originated from within, was orchestrated through a citizen's service centre under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. The suspects allegedly issued fake receipts to unsuspecting shop owners, closely resembling the originals and reportedly generated by the service centre.
The registration fees charged were 200 times higher than the actual fees owed to the Labour Department. Two female operators from the service center were also quizzed in connection with their alleged involvement, while they pleaded with the former inquiry panel not to initiate action against them.
Sources revealed that while crucial evidence is already in the department's possession, the ongoing inquiry report will be submitted to the government for further action.
Meanwhile, the department has begun a separate inquiry into the allegation against two officials, Sadashiv Kandolkar and Kshama Nagarsnekar for their purported unruly behaviour during an inspection at Sanjay Centre for Special Education.
Institution Chairman Sidharth Kuncalienkar has written to the Labour Secretary, claiming that the two officials “suddenly created havoc” on the premises during a surprise inspection and failed to display their identity cards.
“Upon entering the cabin of the admin-cum-accounts officer, these officials arrogantly began dictating terms to the officer… They posed as Labour Inspector and Assistant Labour Inspector. Their conduct was so deplorable that it caused panic among the administrative staff, as they threatened the officials without showing any letter of authority or documents to verify their identities as labour department officials,” Kuncalienkar said.
Condemning the entire incident, Kuncalienkar has called for appropriate action against the officials for their “rude and dishonest behaviour, which disturbed peace and harmony at the school campus.”
