A preliminary enquiry in the matter has revealed that the shelter management authority (SMA), which was responsible for deploying manpower including supervisors, caretakers (for three shifts), sweepers and women security guards (for women shelters) and relievers for all staff, engaged bogus employees who never worked at shelters, manipulated their attendance and credit salaries in their accounts.

The agency has named Suhail Khan, president of Sofia Educational and Welfare Society – the SMA awarded the work for running the night shelters, two other private individuals – Amir and Sonu Kushwaha, and unknown public servants in its first information report (FIR) filed on April 27, which became public recently. The irregularities were being examined by the federal agency since May last year as part of a preliminary enquiry (PE).

DUSIB comes under the Delhi government and this particular contract for running night shelters under Cluster 1 and 2 was given to Sofia Educational and Welfare Society in 2023. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was in power in Delhi at that time.

“Enquiry revealed that certain individuals were shown as employees (caretakers/sweepers) in various night shelters and their enrolment was processed in the records, including issuance of ESIC benefits. It was found that fixed monthly amounts were being credited to their bank accounts, which were subsequently withdrawn and returned in cash to persons managing the said society. These individuals had never actually worked in any night shelter, indicating that their identities were used only for the purpose of siphoning off government funds,” it adds.

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Multiple individuals, CBI said, were engaged in other independent professions or businesses or employed elsewhere, “were falsely shown as staff in night shelters and were paid salaries through bank accounts for the relevant period”.

“Verification of their professional engagements and mobile location data established that they were present at their actual workplaces or residences and not at any night shelter during the period for which attendance and salary were shown,” the FIR adds.

CBI alleged that in the attendance records, the names of bogus employees were inserted at the office level after submission.

“Such individuals were never seen working at the night shelters by other staff or residents. The existence of these bogus employees was also corroborated by multiple employees and residents of the night shelters, thereby confirming large-scale falsification of records and fraudulent disbursement of salaries,” it added.

On DUSIB’s role, CBI has said that designated officials of the Delhi government body were supposed to conduct inspections as per the standard operating procedures.

“However, no reports were submitted regarding the absence of bogus employees, despite their jurisdiction over the concerned shelters”, it said.

CBI said it was a “well-planned conspiracy involving fraudulent documentation, misappropriation of government funds and active connivance of individuals and public servants”.

A comment from both DUSIB and SMA is awaited and the copy will be updated whenever it is received.