Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 20 : On the outcome of its preliminary inquiry, vigilance Organization, Kashmir, (VOK), has registered two cases against the PHE department's top brass under the prevention of corruption Act.
The probe was conducted by VOK into the allegations that in 2008-09 and 2009-2010, PHE department, Kashmir, had purchased hundreds of metric tons of substandard alumina ferric grade 2nd from Aqua Alums Khunmoh and other suppliers, causing a loss of crores of rupees to the state exchequer.
The preliminary enquiry revealed that in 2008-2009, purchase committee of PHE department, Kashmir, purchased 2500 metric tons of alum for Rs 4,33,47,500 from different suppliers at the rate of Rs 18,050 per metric ton. Out of 2500 metric tons of alum, 342.695 metric tons was found substandard which the supplier was supposed to lift back by replacing it with quality alum, but the department accepted it on prorate basis and made payment of Rs 63,09,882 to suppliers for the substandard alum. The enquiry also revealed that the concerned purchase committee, in connivance with the supplier, had purchased rest of supplies, ie 2157.305 metric tons of alum on exorbitant and tax added rates which amount to Rs 20,13,950 and Rs 73,19,565, totaling Rs 93,33,515.
It was revealed that the officers, in connivance with the supplier, had put the state exchequer to the loss on Rs 63,09,882, Rs 20,13,950 and Rs 73,19,565 on three occasions, amounting to Rs 1,56,43,397.
Accordingly, a case under section 5(1)(d) read with section 5(2) of P C Act, Svt 2006 and 120-B of RPC was registered by VOK against G M Dar, then chief engineer of PHE department, Kashmir, Shafat Ahmad Chasti, then SE, PHE mechanical circle (now chief mechanical engineer, Srinagar), Muzaffar Ahmad Lankar, then SE PHE mechanical circle (now chief engineer, UEED, Jammu), Abdul Hamid, then chief accounts officer in the office of chief engineer, PHE department, Kashmir, K K Trisal, then technical officer to Chief Engineer, PHE department, Kashmir, (now retired), A P Singh, executive engineer PHE (MAP) division, Kashmir, (now executive engineer, PHE Ravi-Tawi) and others.
As per the second FIR, in 2009-2010, the department made purchase of more than 142 metric tons of substandard alumina ferric grade 2nd for Rs 142, 62,910 from Aqua Alums Khunmoh and payment was released in favour of the supplier by chief engineer G R Zargar against his alleged financial deal though his predecessor, chief engineer G M Dar had directed the supplier to lift back the substandard material.
The enquiry conducted into the allegations revealed that in 2009-2010, the purchase committee had purchased 2000 metric tons of alum for Rs 1,52,13,500 from different suppliers at the rate of Rs 7,900 per metric ton. The enquiry reveled that out of 2000 metric tons of alum, 276.490 metric tons was substandard which the supplier was supposed to lift back. However, the department accepted the substandard material on prorate basis and made payment of Rs 20,74,033 to the supplier on account of substandard alum.
The facts and circumstances thus revealed that the officers, in connivance with the supplier, had put the state exchequer to a loss of Rs 20,74,033 and 12,25,050. Accordingly, a case under section 5(1)(d) read with section 5(2) of P C Act, Svt. 2006 and 120-B of was by VOK against G M Dar, then CE, PHE department, Kashmir, Shafat Ahmad Chasti, then SE, PHE mechanical circle (now chief mechanical engineer, Srinagar), Muzaffar Ahmad Lankar, then SE, PHE mechanical circle (now CE, UEED, Jammu, Abdul Hamid, then CAO in the office of CE, PHE department, Kashmir, Nazir Ahmad Dar, then TO to CE, PHE department, Kashmir, and V K Luthra, executive engineer, PHE (M&P) division, Kashmir, (now SE, Jammu) and others. |
