Delhi seeks probe over payments to 22,000 "ghost workers"

Nov 26, 2009, 9:48 GMT

   New Delhi - The mayor of the Indian capital New Delhi has admitted that city authorities have been paying salaries to 22,853 civic employees who do not exist and Thursday sought a probe into the matter.

   In a statement, Kanwar Sain said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) became aware of thousands of 'ghost workers' after launching a biometric system of recording attendance.

   The system installed last year showed the gap between the more than 100,000 'genuine' employees - cleaners, gardeners and workers - and the number on official records.

   'There is a gap of 22,853 employees in the MCD between the data given by drawing and disbursing officers, the head of the department and the number of employees enrolled for biometric attendance,' Sain said.

   Sain, who had ordered an internal investigation has also written to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna asking for a probe by the country's premier investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation.

   'A CBI inquiry is crucial since only a probe will reveal who approved these bogus employees who are drawing their salary every month and other related aspects,' Sain said.

   Officials had long suspected MCD of having a large number of ghost workers which drew a huge chunk of taxpayer money.

   Salaries of the fake employees have been stoped immediately and Sain said the agency will save 2 billion rupees (43 million dollars) a year.