CESTAT President's Travel Bill under scanner?
TIMES of India reported that President of CESTAT, RMS Khandeparkar, travelled eight times to his hometown in Goa from Mumbai and Delhi at government expense for non-existent official meetings. The report says that travel allowance for the trips from Delhi and Mumbai during May 8, 2009 to January 3, 2011 works out to Rs. 2.34 lakh.
Times of India says that the information was obtained through the RTI route and according to TOI, the RTI reply states, "The Hon'ble president, for constituting the circuit bench (a temporary bench) at Goa, convened meetings with the commissioner of Goa for ascertaining proper place during the period March 16, 2009 to October 31, 2010. He stayed at his own residence.”
If this is true, it is strange that a President of the Tribunal has to discuss with a Commissioner for 18 months, the venue for a Circuit Bench!
And the report says that in his reply, the Commissioner stated that “as per records available with this office, there is no record of any meeting held with the president, CESTAT. ”
It is really unfortunate that the premier Tribunal which deals with weighty tax matters is getting embroiled in undesirable controversies.