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Health ministry flags financial irregularities in Red Cross Society, probe on

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Shagun
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Health ministry flags financial irregularities in Red Cross Society, probe on
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New Delhi, March 13: CBI has launched an investigation into the regional branches of the Red Cross Society in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, and Karnataka after the Union Health Ministry received allegations of corruption and financial irregularities,  a senior ministry official said on Monday.

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"It has been noted that certain allegations have been marked against the Indian Red Cross Society and regional branches. Ministry would like to clarify that CBI inquiry has been initiated in these cases," a ministry source said. It further added that it has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and financial irregularities.

In Kerala, a case of alleged misappropriation of funds by the chairman and vice-chairman in 2019 prompted the national headquarters to recommend that the state managing committee be dissolved.

"Now a new managing committee is in place after a makeshift committee under the High court judge was made just after dissolution of state committee," he added.

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In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the General Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar branch had been in office for a long time without being properly elected.

"Based on a complaint, the matter was referred to the Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands."

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According to the ministry source, approval was sought from the National Headquarters (NHQ) in July 2020 to launch a CBI investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act after the Governor of the state discovered serious allegations in the functioning of the Tamil Nadu branch.

"The accused chairman and other office bearers of the Tamil Nadu branch obtained a stay from the Honourable High Court in Chennai against an investigation by the CBI. The stay stands vacated as of June 2022, the chairman has resigned and the matter is now being investigated by the CBI," he stated.

He also stated that the Tamil Nadu Governor dissolved the state's managing committee and replaced it with an ad hoc committee.

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In Karnataka, the former chairman of the state branch established a new trust in the name of the Red Cross. An FIR was filed, and the trust has now been dissolved.

Furthermore, a delay in the election of Assam's state managing committee and a land dispute prompted managing body members to visit the state and inform the Governor of the branch's issues.

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- ANI
corruption cbi union-health-ministry financial-irregularities red-cross-society
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