The National Library authorities are probing a series of complaints relating to financial irregularities and nepotism, in which a former officer on special duty (OSD) and a leader of a staff union were allegedly involved.

The probe follows a stern order from the department of culture of the Union government.

At least eight members of the National Library Readers' Forum had lodged complaints with the authorities on December 9 last year.

But the authorities were sitting on them, till prodded by the Centre.

The members of the Readers' Forum had alleged that OSD Ramanuj Bhattacharjee had deputed 22 employees, all members of the National Library Staff Association, to hold an exhibition on photography in Bangalore. The three-day exhibition started on November 27 last year.

In another grant of favour to the association, the OSD had deputed 20 of its members for the exhibition when it was shifted to Mumbai in December.

'It is useless to depute so many people for holding a small exhibition. Six or seven persons would have been enough,' one of the complainants had written.

Another allegation against Bhattacharjee is that he had transferred a senior official for sending a confidential report against an employee, who is an active member of the association.

Sarathi Ghosh, the employee, had been charged with dereliction of duty. But Bhattacharjee, instead of taking action against Ghosh, had transferred Satyabhama Raghavan (assistant library and information officer), who had reported against Ghosh.

The complaints had also hinted at a nexus between Bhattacharjee and association leader Saibal Chakraborty in granting favours to a city-based company, assigned for project 'Retrocon' (Retro conversion of bibliographic database).

Questions were raised on whether the company had paid money to the OSD and Chakraborty.

In another instance of alleged irregularity, the OSD had allowed the shoot for a commercial film in the main reading room of the library on November 30 last year.

Library director Sudhendu Mandal told Metro he was aware of the complaints lodged by readers.

A senior official, however, pointed out that the authorities had already submitted a report to the department of culture on the alleged irregularities.

Denying the allegations, association leader Chakraborty said: 'The readers who have lodged such complaints are acting as agents of a political party and trying to malign our union, which is very popular among employees.'

The former OSD was not available for comment.