Rajbiraj, June 26

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has started investigating alleged irregularities in upgradation of the playground in Raj Stadium, in Rajbiraj, Saptari.

The investigation was triggered by complaints that the District Sports Development Committee had been hand-in-glove with the contractor company engaging in irregularities in the project.

A team from the anti-graft body’s Itahari-based regional office started investigation today after monitoring the playground in the stadium.

“Our preliminary investigation has found irregularities, as apparently, the work done at the site is not commensurate with the contract and payment. We will submit the report after further investigation,” said a member of the investigation team.

The team has seized all the related documents including the contract, payment bills and the likes for investigation.

The tender for upgradation of the playground at the stadium had been called in the fiscal year 2016-17 by the District Sports Development Committee.

Udaya Construction Service had bagged the contract for 2.5 million rupees, and as per the complaints, the then sports office chief had released the payment to the contractor well before the project was complete.

Meanwhile, the sports office has been shut for the past one month after the office was padlocked over non-publication of accounts for the past four years.

The padlock started on May 21 at the initiative of Vice-chairperson Dhirendra Barma and Treasurer Rajesh Chaudhary, citing the non-publication of accounts from the fiscal of 2013-14.