Is all well at the Press Club of India?

New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) Controversy has again hit the Press Club of India, a scribes' meeting point located in the heart of Lutyens Delhi, in the city.

Earlier, the club's former cashier, Anil Bartwal, was found embezzling funds to the tune of Rs 5 lakh (appropriately) by the ex Treasurer Sudhi Ranjan Sen.

According to a letter sent by Sen to the Press Club president, general secretary and the members of the finance committee, PCI accountant Pawnesh Sharma had informed him about the corruption at the club in May 2021 after which, a month later, in June 2021, Sen sent the mail.

In the letter, Sen claimed that he had also raised the issue of embezzlement during the PCI's Management Committee meeting held on May 29, 2021. In the meeting, the club's office manager Jitender Singh informed the committee that the former treasurer was aware of the issue and had directed the PCI management to recover the amount of Rs 4,99,861 from Bartwal's salary.

Bartwal was, on humanitarian grounds, asked to resign after the recovery of the misappropriated money.

Apart from the embezzlement by the former cashier, Sen, in his letter, a copy of which is with IANS, alleged that the last balance sheet does note that the PCI hasn't maintained a register of its fixed assets, which, as per the summary of accounts adds upto approximately Rs 8 crore.

Sen had also urged that the PCI should immediately register a police complaint in the matter.