Dechen Dolkar

The former land record assistant of the Lhamoizingkha administration misused revenue totalling of Nu 303,052 in 2021-22.

According to the annual audit report, upon verification, it was revealed that the land record assistant did not deposit the three percent tax collected amounting to Nu 258,652 from the public but had not deposited into a government account.

Further to that, it was observed that the land record assistant misused an amount of Nu 44,400, intentionally manipulating records using correction fluids to alter the sale value for personal gain. This manipulation was evident when compared with the original copies of sale deeds obtained from the public.

The audit observed that the land record assistant had decreased the sale value in the sales deed maintained with the land record office with the intention to deposit less revenue into the government fund.

The drungkhag and dzongkhag administrations have been recommended to recover the misappropriated amount along with 24 percent penal interest besides initiating legal actions against the individual.

However, the drungkhag administration responded that the land record assistant suspended from service after the audit issued observations, citing problems with colleagues in the office.

The case involving the land record assistant was with the Lhamoizingkha Dungkhag Court, which issued a verdict sentencing him to a prison term of more than five years.

He has, however, appealed to the Dagana Dzongkhag Court for justice.

The audit also recommended that this incident reflected poorly on the internal control system and supervision, which resulted in the misappropriation of government revenue.

The case has been forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigation.