The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, has asked UT Adviser Pradeep Mehra to explain the ‘factual position’ on the expenditure incurred by a few senior bureaucrats on their foreign trips in the recent past.

A recent communiqué sent by the MHA refers to the “questionable” expenditure of lakhs of rupees by former UT home secretary Krishna Mohan, Secretary (Tourism) J S Bir, Director (Tourism) Vivek Atray and former finance secretary S K Sandhu, during their official visits abroad.

Earlier, acting on a complaint lodged with it, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had written to the UT Chief Vigilance Officer, asking him to apprise it of the facts about the trips. If it invokes a criminal action, the agency had said, a detailed complaint should be sent to the CBI office. The CBI had also intimated the Ministry of Home Affairs about it.

The issue came to light on February 11 this year, when a local resident sought information under the Right to Information Act about the expenditure incurred by UT bureaucrats during their official trips to foreign countries.

According to the Administration’s reply, bureaucrats have spent almost Rs 50 lakh on their foreign trips. While Krishna Mohan had spent Rs 19 lakh on four visits, his junior Vivek Atray had spent Rs 16 lakh.

Former finance secretary S K Sandhu, during his four trips, spent about Rs 9.5 lakh, while former CITCO managing director J S Bir, who was recently designated as Secretary (Tourism), spent about Rs 4 lakh on his Europe trip. Information Technology director Manjit Brar also made a three-day visit to the US, which cost the exchequer about Rs 1 lakh.

The reply procured under the RTI Act also mentioned that Krishna Mohan had spent almost Rs 55,000 per day, while S K Sandhu and J S Bir spent Rs 40,000 each daily. Vivek Atray spent almost Rs 33,000 per day during his foreign visits.

According to highly placed sources, the report sought by the MHA may land many officials in trouble, as the amounts spent by them are quite exorbitant.

Expenditure on tickets

Krishna Mohan, former home secretary

In March 2006, he spent Rs 1.85 lakh when he travelled to Berlin for the International Tourism Bourse; spent Rs 4.32 lakh when he went to Zurich, Vienna and Amsterdam for a study tour

In November 2006, he went to London to attend the World Travel Mart, spending Rs 2.52 lakh on a business-class ticket.

During the eight-day trip, he spent Rs 2.13 lakh. He also went to Paris for a study tour

In 2007, he flew to London again for the same event and took a study tour of Rome and Venice, but the expenditure almost tripled

Krishna Mohan had travelled economy class, spending Rs 36,812, when he went for the WTM in 2005, his first foreign trip after joining the Administration

Hotel bills

Travel bills indicate that Krishna Mohan and Atray booked high-end hotels in London that charged Rs 38,500 and Rs 34,500 per room per night, respectively

In Edinburgh, they hired rooms that charged Rs 34,500 each per night

In Venice, the two officers spent Rs 26,500 each per room per night

In Rome, each spent Rs 18,000 per night on hotel accommodation

In Paris, the cost was Rs 25,000 each

J S Bir’s hotel bills, during his 12-night stay in Europe, cost the state coffers about Rs 2 lakh

Vivek Atray, Director (Tourism)

He spent Rs 1.53 lakh on his air ticket to London for the WTM in November 2006

In September 2007, spent Rs 1 lakh to travel to Paris for a heritage conference

In 2008, went for the WTM again and spent Rs 1.42 lakh; also took a study tour of Europe