According to internal sources, nine officers of the Kalutara District Office of the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) have been interdicted for committing a financial fraud involving millions of rupees from the loan installments of borrowers.
The General Manager of the National Housing Development Authority, Engineer K. A. Janaka said yesterday (26) that action is being initiated in this regard.
According to a decision of the Board of Directors, letters have been issued interdicting the officials under the charge of neglect of duty.
They have been prohibited from travelling abroad and are also prohibited from entering any institution related to the NHDA and the work suspension is without pay.
Earlier, a computer operator and three clerks were interdicted in connection with this financial fraud.
In the years 2018 and 2022, this financial fraud has been committed related to the loans given to low-income earners and from the loan installments for the loans given to Government employees under a scheme named ‘Upahara’. Those engaged in fraud, it is said, had gone to the people who had received loans and told them that if they pay half of the amount they currently have to pay, the remaining amount will be cut off.
Also it is said these people altered payment receipts of the borrowers and have pocketed money showing a lower payment than the money paid by the borrowers.
It is said bill books containing paid receipts and important related documents were taken under the guise of being stored in the warehouse in Hegalla housing scheme and most of them were deliberately set on fire and destroyed, by several people.
A group of officers and employees of the Kalutara District Office who are honestly engaged in public service are requesting that the Criminal Investigation Department conduct a thorough investigation to recover the fraudulently obtained money and implement the law against the wrongdoers.
