Raiganj, March 4: Authorities of Raiganj Polytechnic College have served showcause notices on laboratory in-charge Matihoor Rahman and a group-D employee Manoranjan Burman for allegedly accepting bribe.

Principal of the college Ashok Kumar Roy said: “I shall not tolerate any employee indulging in malpractices,” he said.

Before commencing work on any construction project in North and South Dinajpur district assigned by the government, contractors have to get the soil of the site tested by the college and obtain a “no objection certificate”.

Contractors have to deposit Rs 500 in the cash department of the college for the test and get the report only after producing the money receipt. “It is almost an open secret that one has to grease the palms of certain staff,” said official sources.

On February 19, a contractor, who visited the college to collect a soil test report, came to know that no money had been deposited with the cash department despite the fact that he had paid Rs 1,000 to Manoranjan Burman, a group-D employee.

The principal sealed the laboratory and ordered an inquiry on receiving a complaint from the contractor.

On February 24, in a letter addressed to the principal, convener of the seven-member inquiry committee D. Mukherjee wound up the probe, claiming it was “beyond their capacity.”

On February 26, Sudipta Sinha Roy, a Nadia-based contractor, lodged a similar complaint with the principal.

Manoranjan Burman, the group-D employee, said contractors often offered him tips. “I have to pay Rs 1,000 to the laboratory in-charge Motihoor Rahman for every test. This is why I take money,” said Burman. Rahman denied the allegation saying he was being framed.

Roy said he had issued show-cause notices to the two employees and had appealed to higher authorities to inquire into the charges.