The Anti-Corruption Commission suspended business operations of M/s Dhenzang Hiring, a firm renting earthmoving equipment and trucks with immediate effect through a public notification on May 3.  The firm belongs to the wife of the Tsakaling gup who is also implicated in the case. The gup is also the chairman of the Mongar Dzongkhag Tshogdu.

The commission’s notification prohibited the firm from conducting any business until the outcome of the case.

The Anti-Corruption Act 2011 empowers the commission upon finding of a prima facie case of corruption to suspend a license, or prohibit an individual or entity whether national or foreign from participating in contractual relations with public agencies until pending the outcome of the case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found that gup Karma Sonam Wangchuk had allegedly involved in fraud and corruption worth Nu 3.545 million.

The commission’s investigation found that M/s Dhenzang Hiring Firm, which belongs to the gup’s wife had fraudulently claimed public fund to the extent of Nu 3.545 million from contract works in Balam and Chali gewogs in Mongar.

The commission’s investigation report alleged that the gup had intentionally used fictitious machine number to inflate the machine hours worked to exhaust the available fund balances before the financial year closing.

It also found that the gup did not exercise due diligence while passing bills for works executed in Tsakaling gewog by M/s UT Hiring unit.

Karma Sonam Wangchuk, who admitted helping his wife’s firm on weekends and public holidays said that he had not breached any laws.

He claimed the works were tendered close to the end of the financial year which required the work to be complete within a short period. He claimed that an additional machine was used to adjust the working hours to correct the accounts.

Staff Reporter