VACB raids at Akshaya Centres in Kerala reveals large-scale irregularities

Thiruvananthapuram: Acting upon numerous complaints of numerous irregularities, the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) carried out unannounced inspections at Akshaya Centres on Friday. The VACB has uncovered discrepancies in the services provided at these centres as well as the fees collected from the public. The officials have initiated a detailed investigation to examine the documents seized during the operation.

It was found that numerous facilities were charging more than the maximum service rates and were breaking several guidelines laid down by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology. 

In many centres, the applicants are forced to pay double the permissible amount for various services. Furthermore, many centres refuse to issue computer-generated receipts for the fees collected. The laws require that the specifics of daily revenue generation be recorded in the cash book, which is not followed in many centres.