A Dossier on Visakhapatnam
GVMC Computer Operator scams Rs. 50 lakhs of tax payers' money
Three employees of GVMC arrested in GVMC Computer Operator scam
GVMC Office, May 30, 2011
Three employees of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) are taken into the custody by the Three Town police for their alleged involvement in a tax scam that involved Rs. 50 lakhs of the GVMC funds.
The police took four employees for questioning but one of them was later released. The Cyber Crime officials and civil police are taking the help of special auditors and have begun investigating into the case.
The computer operator at the GVMC, G. Srinivasa Rao is reported to have put side funds to a tune of about Rs 50 lakh of tax money that was paid at the counters by the citizens to his personal account. Corporation sources however have put the scam money involved at Rs 2.5 crore. Not surprisingly, the house and furniture at the house of Srinivasa Rao located in MVP Colony alone is reported to have cost costs Rs 85 lakh. He is also having another house in Sagarnagar area which costs Rs 25 lakh.
Like in any other scam where in a Government servant was involved, Srinivasa Rao immediately went on leave, starting from the first week as per the records, while the auditing process was on. He did not report to duties since then.
The scam was unearthed when the GVMC Corporation in-charge Commissioner and VUDA Vice-Chairman Kona Sasidhar made a surprise raids on Saukaryam. Saukaryam is the online centre attached to the main GVMC building at the heart of the city. Saukaryam is the place where citizens pay their taxes, mostly house tax and water tax. Sasidhar has immediately ordered the seizure of the Saukaryam centre on the GVMC premises until further orders. A banner was put outside the GVMC office asking the citizens to co-operate by paying the taxes at the eSeva centres located at various parts of the city.
The in-charge commissioner also ordered a detailed probe into the scam and directed the district audit officer Sitarama Rao to conduct complete audit of various payments made through the centre since its inception in 2000.
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