Imphal, December 14: Having faced severe criticisms for shoddy handling of the various controversial issues arising out of numerous scams in the Education Department the State Government has finally decided to rope in service of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Decision to hand over the task of probing fraudulent withdrawal of over Rs 13 crores from entitlements of employees' pay and pension arrears in the 2003 and 2004 session was arrived at and subsequently intimated to CBI authorities last month, said Education Department source.

In another significant development pertaining to the Education Department scams preliminary findings of the house Enquiry Committee of Manipur Legislative Assembly is informed to have cited involvement of some officials of Accountant General (AG).

The Committee with MLA C Doungel as the Chairman in its enquiry report tabled in the State Assembly is informed to have recommended fixing responsibilities against some top officials of Directorate of Education (School) 'who masterminded' the fraudulent withdrawal of pension arrears and salaries of headmasters/headpandits of lower primary schools.

Strongly advocating cleansing Education Department of numerous ailment, the House panel in the finding report placed before the Government is said to have 'established' linkage of some AG officials to the unsavoury dealing.

However, the panel recommendation cited handicap to properly investigate cases involving AG officials due to it (AG) being a Centrally administered office necessitating procedural rectification in order to summon or arrest accused AG officials.

To enable the Special Investigation Team (SIT) properly investigate cases involving AG officials, the Committee also recommended initiation of legally viable steps by the Government so that the SIT could carry out its task without procedural hindrances, disclosed the source.

Further revealing active involvement of brokers acting as agent in the Education Department scams the Committee suggested that Government book these persons and take appropriate action against all concerned with no leniency even against retired officials/employees.

The source further disclosed of the House Committee coming across a number of previously undetected cases while investigating fraudulent withdrawal of LP school headmasters' arrears.

The House Committee was constituted in March 29 this year to investigate news report of some department officials/staffs twisting service record especially pay scales of 294 LP school headmasters resulting in loss of over several crores to the State exchequer.

Regarding the undetected case the Committee is informed to have insisted on further probe to ascertain veracity of 934 cases enlisted by the Directorate of Treasuries and Accounts.

The Committee referring to arrests of nine Education (S) Department officials so far and warrants against 20 others appreciated the State Government on setting up the SIT which is making enormous contribution to the effort of the Assembly panel, said the source and added that among the 20 officials shadowed by the SIT include the Department's Additional Director NK Shimray and Director (retired) Th Shamungou.

In all 117 witnesses presented the case before the Committee while an amount of Rs 42,700 could be recovered by the SIT during its course of investigation besides freezing 10 banks accounts of the accused, said the source.

It further maintained that on directive of the Committee findings of Directorate of Treasuries & Accounts could establish arrears released to 934 headmasters/headpandits that totalled over Rs 12 crores.

The Committee's report clearly mentioned of former Education (S) Director Th Bira as well as Th Shamungou and NK Shimray during their respective stints issuing orders that resulted in fraudulent withdrawals in different phases that amounted to over Rs 12 crores.

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