An account officer at the Land Reform and Land Revenue Office in Bharatpur has been out of contact for the past four months after his alleged involvement in embezzlement of revenue collected by the office.

An investigation into the case found that Ritthe Darji, the account officer, embezzled Rs17.3 million from the office. Darji was supposed to deposit the collected revenue at the bank on a daily basis, but he did not do so. The LRLRO said Darji has been out of contact since November 11 after the office instructed him to furnish the embezzled amount.  

Lalkrishna Paudel, chief at the LRLRO, said Darji had admitted of embezzling the amount and even signed an agreement to return the amount. “He admitted to using the government revenue and agreed to return the amount by selling his personal properties; however, he is now on the run,” said Paudel.

The land revenue office in Bharatpur is one of the busiest government offices in the district where hundreds of service seekers throng every day to transfer ownership of house and land. The office collects Rs 25 to Rs 30 million revenue every day.

“I was transferred here as office chief some six months ago. After 10 days I started to have my doubts in regards to the accounts officer. He wasn’t able to give account for revenue collected in the last fiscal year,” said Paudel, adding that Darji even kept the report of the Financial Comptroller Office to himself in a bid to hide proof of his financial irregularities.  

Darji, a resident of Bharatpur-10, had been working at the office for past two years. According to Paudel, Darji was also found guilty of embezzling Rs50 million in the past as well. He repaid the amount to the office later, added Poudel.

“We issued a 90-day notice asking him to present himself at the office, but he didn’t come. A complaint has been lodged at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and preparation is on to file a case against him,” Paudel told the Post.