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The museum is also a part of the CBI investigation, which is probing an art scam in the Victoria Memorial.
Once again, in the line of fire is Professor Chittoranjan Panda, who apart from being the chief executive and curator of Victoria Memorial, was also appointed as the acting director of Indian Museum on June 1, 2006.
The pay scales of a number of officers of the museum were hiked without authorisation or the approval of the concerned Union ministry.
For instance, a copyholder secured two consecutive unauthorised upgradations — from Rs 3,050 - 4,590 to Rs 4,000 - 6,000 and later to Rs 5,500 - 9,000.
In another incident, a photo printer and photo assistant were granted similar unauthorised upgradations from Rs 3,050 - 4,590 to Rs 4,000 - 6,000.
A gallery assistant with a pay scale of Rs 4,000 to 6,000 was given arbitrary ad hoc appointment as technical assistant (documentation) with a pay scale Rs 4,500 -7,000. His post was re-designated as senior technical assistant with a hike in the pay scale from Rs 4,500 - 7,000 to Rs 5,500 - 9,000.
It was done without the authorisation of the Centre, the board of trustees and the finance committee of the Indian Museum.
Refuting the allegations, Panda said: “I am being targeted because I wanted to initiate crackdown on corruption in the museum. There were various irregularities going on and I opposed it. This is a conspiracy against me.”
The employees of both the Indian Museum and the Victoria Memorial said they wanted an impartial probe into such cases.
“We have received reports on cases of corruption from the two most prestigious institutions of the country. It is shameful,” said Saibal Chakraborty, Secretary of Joint Platform of Action — a conglomerate of Central government employees and staff unions.
In 2007, a Central government team had unearthed a scam that involved misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 18 crore between 2004 and 2006 at the Indian Museum. (The Indian
Express highlighted scam on February 9, 2007).
A CBI raid was conducted in January this year and the probe is on.
The fund was meant for gallery renovations of the museum, National Library, Rabindra Bharati University Library and Guru Saday Museum and for improvement of the state museums of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Assam.
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* Professor ChittoranjanPanda had upgraded his payscale from Rs 14,300 - 18,300 to Rs 14,300 - 22,400 without the authorisation of the concerned Union ministry (a copy of the papers including his payslip is with The Indian Express) Panda said, “The matter was pending for 10 years at the ministry. If the ministry asks I will return the money.” For this, Panda had dictated an office note to Office Superintendent Dilip Dey and got it routed through Accounts Officer Prafulla Sarkar and Administrative Officer Kumarjit Chakraborty. It had finally come to him for approval.
* Panda also declared his mother Ava Panda solely dependent on him for the purpose of medical and LTC reimbursement. Ava, however, draws a pension of around Rs 4,000 from SBI Garia branch. According to norms, the person who is ‘solely dependent’ on anyone should have an income of Rs 1,500. Panda, however, has been drawing medical expense and LTC since 1994 when he joined the Victoria Memorial.
* Panda availed air-conditoned car facilities even as the acting director of the Indian Museum, though he was not entitled. The car was hired from a private agency and the expenses were paid by the museum. He also enjoyed air-conditoned car facilities since he joined Victoria Memorial in 1994, though he is not entitled. The annual expenditure of the cars, which were hired from private agencies, was over Rs 12 lakh.
— ENS
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