Assam government suspends IAS officer Sewali Devi Sharma for alleged misappropriation of funds

The Assam government on Sunday suspended the IAS officer Sewali Devi Sharma in connection with the alleged financial irregularities and misappropriation of funds. Sharma was working as a secretary to the Assam government’s Agriculture Department.

As per the official notification, Sewali Devi Sharma opened five bank accounts without the approval of the Assam government during her tenure as the Executive cum Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).

It was also reported that FRBM rules were not followed in respect of those five bank accounts. The notification further stated that a report of enquiry on the functioning of ODL under SCERT found financial irregularities and very credible references to the misappropriation of funds.

The Joint Secretary of the Assam Government signed the notification stating that Sharma has been suspended from the post of Secretary of Assam’s Agriculture Department with immediate effect. Sewali Devi Sharma’s suspension is placed under rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Disciple and Appeal) Rules, 1969.

The Assam government has also suspended Assam Civil Service (ACS) officers for alleged financial irregularities in the execution of projects under the MP Local Area Development Fund.

The officers who are suspended are Assam’s Home and Political Department Secretary Sharmistha Borah, Additional Commissioner of Kamrup Metropolitan Sukandya Borah, Hemanta Kumar Dutta, Tinsukia Zila Parishad CEO Munindra Bordoloi. According to the reports, all the accused have been placed under immediate suspension, pending the drawal of departmental proceedings.

The report stated that Rs 28 lakhs were allocated from the Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan’s MPLAD Fund for the construction of three roads in Barpeta, however, no roads were constructed and the funds that were allocated were withdrawn by submitting fake road construction bills.