Electrical engineering department has been collecting electricity tariff for the last seven months

DHARAN, Jan 4: BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) has started investigation after an officer of its electrical engineering department allegedly collected electricity tariff from the businesses on the premises of the institute.

After the businesses operating on the premises of the institute filed an application accusing Tej Narayan Shah, an officer of the electrical engineering department, of collecting electricity charges from them for the last seven months, the BPKIHS started the internal investigation into the matter.

As Shah was not authorized to collected electricity tariff, three businesses submitted an application to the acting vice-chancellor of BPKIHS on Thursday. Along with the application, they have also submitted copies of the receipts provided by Shah in the name of the electrical engineering department.

Only the accounts department of the BPKIHS is authorized to carry financial transactions.

After receiving the application, the BPKIHS asked Shah to furnish a clarification, and has started internal investigation into the matter. “We are investigating the case,” said Dr Guru Khanal, acting vice-chancellor of BPKIHS, adding that the results will be seen in a few days.

According to the businesses, they have been paying electricity charges to Shah for the last seven months. Earlier, the businesses used to pay electricity charges to the accounts department. The businesses say Shah started collecting electricity charges after the server of the BPKIHS went down.

“The server of the BPKIHS was down some seven months back. Then, Shah started collecting the electricity charges from the businesses. Businesses operated on the premises of the institute have been handing over the electricity charges to Shah,” said Tek Lohani, proprietor of Tekson Bhojanalaya which operates on the premises of BPKIHS.

The electrical department has issued receipts with stamp of the BPKIHS after receiving payment from the businesses. The receipts received by the businesses have the name and signature of one MK Rai. However, there is no one in the electrical department with the name MK Rai.

“Only the accounts department is authorized to carry out financial transactions of the institute,” said Netra Khadka, chief of the electrical department, adding that the institute is carrying out internal investigation into the matter. He further added that the institute is searching for MK Rai.

Only Indira Karki of the accounts department is authorized to collect electricity charges from the businesses. Only Karki can log into the software to record electricity charges paid by the businesses.

The issue emerged only after an entrepreneur running Staff Canteen went to the electrical department to pay electricity charges. As Shah was not in the department, the entrepreneur met Khadka, chief of the department, to pay charges. After Khadka said electricity charges should be paid at the accounts department, the entrepreneur was shocked.

Meanwhile, Shah, who is accused of collecting electricity charges, claimed that he didn't collect charges from the businesses. He further added that his job is to read the electricity meters. “Somebody is trying to frame me,” he added.

 
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