Questions have been raised about the expenses incurred during the engagement ceremony of Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's son in Delhi in February 2021. Media reports indicate that approximately Rs 10 lakh was spent on arrangements for the ceremony held at 7 Akbar Road bungalow in Delhi. The expenses were covered by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, not by Manoj Sinha personally.
Opposition parties have criticised the Manoj Sinha over this issue and demanded an investigation into the matter.
According to The Wire report, Senior IAS officer Ashok Parmar has demanded a CBI probe, while the J&K Congress has asked the LG to clarify the matter.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has accused the Raj Bhavan of contineous misuse of government funds for the personal comfort of the Lieutenant Governor.
Abdullah stated, "Whether it's the vehicles procured for him, the private jets chartered, or the crores spent on his guests, the LG treats J&K as his personal fiefdom, evident from how traffic is halted for 25-30 minutes so he can travel without delay," as reported by The Wire.
According to an alleged official communication dated April 6, 2021, addressed to the LG's then Principal Secretary Nitishwar Kumar and widely shared on social media, the Jammu and Kashmir Resident Commissioner in New Delhi arranged lunch, dinner, and decorations at 7 Akbar Road on February 2, 2021, following instructions from LG Sinha's office.
The communication stated, "A total payment of Rs. 10,71,605 was made by our office for this personal function. We request that this amount be deposited into the treasury to resolve the issue."
Former Jammu and Kashmir Law Secretary Ashraf Mir has criticised this as a blatant violation by the Union Territory's head and a clear case of misappropriation of public funds.
"Since J&K is a Union Territory, funds from the Consolidated Fund of India must be approved by Parliament and used for state welfare or public interest purposes. Personal functions do not fall under this category," Mir told The Wire.
In a letter to the PMO, senior IAS officer Ashok Parmar has urged that the ADG J&K, Jammu be directed to lodge an FIR against Manoj Sinha for cheating and intentionally causing a loss to the government exchequer. Parmar's complaint highlights that the expenditure was made against the instructions issued by the Finance Ministry.
