Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Sunday sacked two advance ticket bookers for pilfering Rs 3,32,281 from the government exchequer. At the same time, the Minister issued instructions to ensure reconciliation of ticket bookings of all PRTC depots at head office on the 10th of every month.

Bhullar said that both the advance ticket bookers of Bathinda Depot of PRTC, who were found embezzling Rs 3,32,281 from the government exchequer, have been sacked from the PRTC. A case has been registered against them under sections 420 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for tampering with the records of ticketing machines, misusing the ticketing machines, and embezzling the government funds, he said.

The Minister said that Advance Bookers Ram Singh and Sukhpal Singh have been working for bus ticket booking on a commission basis. “During the departmental investigation, both the employees were found guilty of embezzling Rs 3,32,281 just in the first five days of May, but the cash of sold tickets was not deposited in Bathinda Depot,” he said.

“Apart from Bathinda Depot, both the Advance Bookers could be involved in the booking of buses of other Depots of PRTC, thus the investigation teams of the Department have been formed to look into the advance ticket bookings between April 1, 2021, to May 20, 2022, from Bathinda depot,” said the Minister adding that these investigating teams will also ascertain the involvement of other employees in this fraud.

“Written instructions have also been issued to all the depots to get the record of tickets issued through the e-ticketing machines of the accused from April 1, 2021, to May 20, 2022,” the Minister informed, adding that the General Managers (GMs) of Patiala, Chandigarh, Bathinda, Faridkot, Sangrur, Barnala, Budhlada, Ludhiana, and Kapurthala depots of the PRTC have been asked to ensure the reconciliation of the advance ticket bookings of the buses.

Similarly, it has also been directed that the Operations Branch at Head Office will also make it sure that advance ticket bookings for the buses from various depots of Punjab will be reconciled on the 10th of every month, said the Minister.