Vikas Malik case: Bar council finds inflated bills, purchases from shops that don’t exist
PHHCBA acting president Jasdev Singh Brar in his report stated that he has “streamlined 8-10 bills which show suspicious transactions”.
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The committee was hearing a complaint against PHHCBA ex-president Vikas Malik and secretary S S Tiwana by Anjali Kukar. (Express Archives) In a report concerning the alleged embezzlement of funds by the ex-president of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA), the acting president has submitted before the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana that a forensic audit is needed “to check any miscalculation, inflation, forged bills etc”.
PHHCBA acting president Jasdev Singh Brar submitted the report on August 2 on being asked by the disciplinary committee of Bar Council following an inquiry into the matter.
Brar stated that after going through the account books and most of the bills, vouchers, etc. “I have streamlined 8-10 bills which show suspicious transactions”.
On verifying the bills of one of the firm, Prakash Solutions, at Sector 22-B, Chandigarh, Brar has said that a large chunk of expenditure was spent for general repair on the Punjab and Haryana High Court premises amounting to Rs 38,84,195. “Without commenting upon the authenticity of the bill the amount of the bills seems to be on the inflated side…all the bills issued by Prakash Solutions need to be audited forensically,” he stated.
The committee was hearing a complaint against PHHCBA ex-president Vikas Malik and secretary S S Tiwana by Anjali Kukar.
On verification of another firm’s (The Swati Enterprises) bill regarding the purchase of LED TV, Brar mentioned that when he tried to contact the enterprise, the person concerned “refused to oblige and stated that they did not sell any TV, LED, etc. On enquiry it was found out that the items mentioned in the bill has not been received in the High Court. If needed, the telephonic conversation could be provided. Thereafter, the address mentioned in the bill was searched by me in the area of Burail, but no such office or shop was found. Thus, the bills are deemed to be forged.”
Further, on verifying the bills of ‘Computer World CCTV Cameras’ regarding the purchase of CCTV cameras for Rs 10 lakhs, Brar mentioned that the purchase price of the items is “highly doubtful” as another similar company quoted an amount of Rs 2,000 per camera. “Total number of cameras installed in the High Court are 59. The record indicates that in this case the payment was released on 22.01.2024 but the quotation was invited on February 5, 2024,” the report said.
Similarly, Brar in his report has mentioned about the bills related to firms, including Ganpati Timbers (Plyboard), Khepar Trading Company, Anix Inventive, Account Software, Bharat Paints, Nebro System Private Limited Firewall / Internet lease line, and Bharat Paints.
Brar has concluded in his report that “after going through the bills, vouchers and account books etc it has come to my knowledge that total expenditure amounting to Rs 6,27,22,758 has been spent by PHHCBA from December 18, 2023 to July 25, 2024”.
He submitted that out of the amount, Rs 5,85,01,966 has been spent by way of cheque and Rs 42,20,792 has been spent by way of cash. After deducting the employee’s salary, Public Provident Fund, loan to employees and retirement benefits to the tune of Rs 4,23,96,355, Rs 2,03,26,403 has been spent on various works of PHHCBA. Therefore, to check any miscalculation, inflation, forged bills etc. a Forensic Audit is much needed, said the report.
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