GUJRAT, Aug 9: An accountant of the health department had been accused of misappropriating a big amount by deducting money from the salaries of lady health visitors and employees of basic health units and rural health centres.

Sources in the department told this correspondent on Monday on condition of anonymity that accountant Luqman had deducted Rs500 to Rs1,000 from the salaries of over 200 employees for the month of July.

When the employees question him about the deduction, he said it was being done on the orders of the EDO and the DHO. Sources quoted the accountant as saying that the deducted amount would be spent to make arrangements for stay of some high-ups and their families at Murree.

They said the employees who refused to give the amount were not given the salary. When contacted, several employees confirmed the deduction from their salaries. Some of them alleged that the accountant had been deducting Rs100 to Rs200 from their salaries for the last many months but this time he had arbitrarily enhanced the deducted amount.

They claimed that the accountant had been facing many corruption inquires and had deducted the amount to bribe the inquiry officers. They alleged that the accountant was involved in financial corruption and accumulated huge assets. They demanded of higher authorities to order a probe into the matter and take action against the accountant.

Accountant Luqman told this correspondent by telephone that he did not deduct any amount from the salaries and claimed that a lobby was levelling baseless allegations against him. He also denied the allegation of financial corruption and said that he was not facing any inquiry.