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PART B -- INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GUIDANCE OF THE NAZARAT AND PRESIDING OFFICERS IN ORDER TO CHECK FRAUD AND EMBEZZLEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF DIET AND ROAD MONEY OF WITNESSES
Instructions for prevention of frauds, etc., in expenses of diet money and road money.--The following instructions have been issued by the Punjab Government for the guidance of the Nazarat Officers and the Presiding Officers of the Courts with a view to the prevention of frauds and embezzlements in the expenses of diet and road money of witness :-
(1) Specimen signatures to be kept.--The Nazarat Officers should be provided with specimen signatures of all Presiding Officers for whose courts he has at any time to pay bills for diet money of witnesses, etc.
(2) Comparison of specimen signatures.--The Nazarat officer will be expected to satisfy himself that the signatures on the bills placed before him conform to the specimen signatures received by him. Should any loss be occasioned by the neglect of this rule, the Nazarat officer will be held responsible.
(3) Responsibility of Nazir or Naib Qasid not to make payments.--At the same time the Nazir should be informed that he is responsible for all money transactions entrusted to his charge, and that if the Naib-Nazir or any other of his assistants is utilised for disbursement work, the Nazir will remain responsible for supervising them and their work. On no account should a Naib Qasid or a menial be employed for the payment of any Government moneys.
(4) Criminal Register XVIII, Part B.-IV, Vol.VI-B.--Criminal Register XVIII appearing in Part B--IV of Rules and Orders, Volume VI--B, showing the amount of diet and road money of witnesses for which memoranda have been issued should be maintained in each Magistrate's court and comparison should be regularly, though not necessarily daily, made with the Nazarat Register by the Presiding Officer, who should initial in the column provided for the purpose in token of his having made the comparison.
Outlying Courts.--
This register should also be maintained in the courts of Sessions Judges, who should compare it with the register of contingent expenditure at least once a week and put their initials in column 10 in token of their having done so. The diet money and travelling expenses of witnesses examined before a Court of Session should be paid in the presence of the Sessions Judge.
The following instructions are laid down in regard to checking of entries in the register maintained by outlying courts:-
(a) When the outlying court (or if there is more than one court, the Naib-nazir appointed at the place) holds an advance from the district nazir.
In case there is only one Court, no comparison of the entries in the register of road and diet money paid to witnesses is necessary. If there are several courts, it is presumed that the payments are made by the Niab-Nazir under the supervision of one presiding officer as is the case at district headquarters. In that case the entries in the register of road and diet money paid to witnesses should be compared with those in the contingent register maintained by the naib-nazir. No further comparison with the district nazir contingent register is necessary.
(b) When the outlying court holds no advance.
The payments are made by district nazir on receipt of the written orders of payment direct from such outlying courts. In such cases, a comparison with the entries in the contingent register of the district nazir is necessary and may be effected by the issue of fortnightly memoranda by the outlying courts to the nazarat officer.
(5) Security from officials.--Steps should be taken to see that security is actually taken in all cases where the rules lay down that an official should furnish it.
(6) Nazirs should not keep money deposits.--The Nazir should not be allowed to keep in his possession any sum received by him in the form of a deposit, but such money should be deposited in the Treasury without delay.
Inspection by Deputy Commissioners.--It is hoped that Deputy Commissioners will make occasional inspections of the Nazir's accounts and satisfy themselves that these and other instructions relating to the Nazarat are being properly observed.
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