Thiruvananthapuram: Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Thursday raided offices of the metrological department following complaints of overcharging for sealing auto-rickshaw metres, weighs and electronic weighing machines through agents.
In the office of the assistant controller of legal metrology at Kaimanam in Thiruvananthapuram, the middlemen submit applications with fake signatures. The VACB sleuths found that the money entered in the cash register was not deposited in the treasury daily. These amounts were not in arrears register either. There were also complaints of discrepancies in the personnel register.
In Perinthalmanna legal metrology inspector office, weighing scales were found sealed without checking and that the certificates were not issued to autorickshaw metres in a time-bound manner.
In Kozhikode legal metrology senior inspector office, the services of a private agency were taken for inspecting auto-rickshaw metres and weighs. They were charging an exorbitant fee. The details of inspections on petrol pumps and weighbridges were not appropriately entered in the inspection register.
In Kannur, the sealing certificate was issued to weighing machines without inspection. The Pala office opened at 11 a.m. only. Its shelf could be inspected only after 2 p.m. by summoning the inspecting assistant keeping its keys who was absent on the day.
In Wayanad, no decisions were taken in applications submitted since 2017. In Meenangadi office only a part-time sweeper was present. The watchman was found to have signed the attendance register in advance.
In Kasargod, no decisions were taken on applications submitted from 2018 onwards. In Pathanamthi-tta, auto-rickshaw metres were found to have been inspected without the presence of legal metrology officer.
