An Assam-based NGO has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the Information Technology (IT) firm – Wipro and the Directorate of National Register of Citizens (NRC) for allegedly misusing a “large amount of public money” while updating the NRC list.

Based on a petition filed in 2009 by the non-profit organization – Assam Public Works, the NRC of 1951 was updated in the state.

According to the NGO president – Abhijeet Sharma, the organization has been monitoring the process of updating the NRC, since its inception.

As per The Hindu report, “Altogether 19.06 lakh of some 3.3 crore applicants, were excluded in the final draft list of citizens released on August 2019. The entire exercise cost of the government was worth more than Rs 1,600 crores.”

“The Wipro Limited was entrusted with one of the prime software installation companies by the NRC Directorate. The firm was paid Rs 1.27 crore from February-August 2017 for installation of two software programmes,” the FIR reads.

However, the National Institute of Smart Governance in its report addressed to the office of the Accountant General, found no such systems installed by Wipro.

“Wipro was also paid Rs 34.76 crore for purchasing 3,500 generators at 2,500 NRC Seva Kendras. But audit reports revealed the company hired the generators instead for a billed amount of Rs 93,964 each against the market price of Rs 35,000. Such instances clearly demonstrate that a huge corruption took place during the process of updating the NRC with the active role of the NRC Directorate,” – the FIR added.