3 IAS Officers Took Lavish Paris Trip at Public Expense, Reveals Chandigarh Audit Report

Chandigarh: Three senior IAS officers of Chandigarh are under scanner after an audit report reportedly revealed shocking irregularities by m misusing public money for ir lavish Paris trip in year 2015. As per report, three officials used public money for ir business class air tickets and accommodations at luxury five-star hotel rooms. t only this, money was also used in several unaccounted expenditures abro. allegations have been levelled against three bureaucrats namely Vijay Dev, n viser to Chandigarh ministrator, Anurag Agarwal, n Chandigarh home secretary and Vikram Dev Dutt, n secretary (personnel). tably, during time, former-Goverr of Punjab, Kaptan Singh Solanki was also looking after ditional charge of Chandigarh.

Reports suggest that three officials went to France in 2015 on invitation from Foundation Le Corbusier in Paris to Chandigarh ministration for a meeting to mark 50th Anniversary of Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier. tably, Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier h prepared master plan for Chandigarh.

three officials allegedly approved each ors trip, says report

On receiving invitation, ministration minated four participants for event and after Home Ministry's clearance for Vijay Dev, Vikram Dev Dutt and Anurag Agarwal, tour programme was approved.

Surprisingly, it surfaced that three officers sanctioned each or's tours. As per information, Vijay Dev approved tour of Anurag Agarwal and Vikram Dev Dutt, while Vijay Dev’s trip was approved by Vikram Dev Dutt.

In audit report by Director General of Audit (Central), it was revealed that invitation was originally meant only for Chief Architect of Chandigarh, but inste, three secretary-level officers sanctioned tour of each or and went to France at cost of taxpayers.

Report furr states that 7-days trip was t sponsored by host foundation and all expenses were paid by Chandigarh ministration for three officials. t only this, officers also bypassed rule that foreign travel exceeding five days should be approved without a d from a screening committee. officials allegedly expanded a one-day tour to 7 days without any approval. 

Expenditure details

As per details revealed in audit report, business class air ticket for each of three bureaucrats amounted to Rs 1.77 lakh. audit reports state that over Rs 6.7 lakh was spent only in changing hotels during trip. officials h reportedly claimed that change in hotels was me in order to ensure that location was closer to venue.

Right to Information (RTI) records show that Vijay Dev was initially sanctioned over Rs 6.5 lakh, Anurag Agarwal Rs 5.6 lakh and Vikram Dev Dutt Rs 5.7 lakh for trip, which summed up to around 17.8 lakh. However, trip expenditure went past Rs 25 lakh, which was around 40 per cent more than amount initially sanctioned.

It is also being said that three officials cleared increased expenditure for each or.