| CM was R&B(PWD) Minister when 2000 works allotted without tendering | | SAC gives clean chit to Saroori, Tara | | Sumit Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 5: An anti-graft body, State Accountability Commission (SAC), today dismissed the case against the former Cabinet Minister, Senior Congress leader and MLA Inderwal, G M Saroori for being a "mute spectator" to the large-scale "illegal" allotment of works during his stint as Minister for Roads and Buildings department. The SAC also dismissed the case against DyCM Tara Chand for his role in illegal appointments in Local Urban Bodies.
The complaint was lodged by one Saquib Mushtaq of Qamarwari who in his complaint had leveled serious allegations of corruption and misuse of official position against Saroori.
"The complainant alleges that during the period the Saroori was holding the portfolio of R&B (PWD), about 2000 works were allotted by (his) department without tenders, and that the same being not in accordance with law has caused huge loss to the State exchequer,". The complainant had also lodged a similar complaint against DyCM Tara Chand in SAC for his alleged role in making illegal appointments in Local Urban Bodies during his Minister's tenure.
Based on the complaint, the premier anti-graft body, State Accountability Commission (SAC), initiated a regular inquiry against the former Cabinet Minister and MLA Inderwal GM Saroori for being a "mute spectator" to the large-scale "illegal" allotment of works during his stint as Minister for Roads and Buildings department. His action, therefore, falls within sub-section (2) of Section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act, which is cognizable in terms of Section 9 of the Act, SAC observed. The SAC later clubbed both the cases of corruption as the complainant was same, started proceedings accordingly.
As per sources, Justice YP Nargotra and Justice Haqim Imtiyaz Hussain today dismissed the case Saqib Mushtaq Vs GM Saroori, in which the complainant alleged that Saroori has given undue favours to some people during their tenure as Minister. Commission says that the complainant didn't turn up before the Commission after filing the complaint, so they have decided to dismiss the case against the Minister.
Dinesh Maini, Deputy Registrar Accountability Commissioner said, "the case has been dismissed, as the complainant didn't turn up before the Commission after filing the complaint."
But according to the sources, while interrogating the matter, the commission came to know that all that undue favours were given in the tenure, when the department was with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The case was registered in 2012, in which the complainant has alleged that the GM Saroori, during his tenure as PWD Minister, had allotted work to his own people without the tendering process. But Saroori sacked on August 24, 2010 and Omar Abdullah was heading the department from August 2010 to January 2013, when Majid Wani was appointed as Minister for PWD.
Saroori, in his another reply, through lawyer Tahir Shamshi to SAC, pointed towards Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for giving order for the renovation of the VIP quarters behind CM residence at Srinagar which costs Rs 1.27 lakh (approx). He was the concerned Minister, he admitted when work done, but being subordinate he did not suppose to interfere in the matter of the CM.
Sources said, "the commission may take the cognizance on the statement of Saroori. The commission also observed that the complainant didn't turn-up before the commission after filing the case." The complainant's non cooperation, too gave advantage to the DyCM and SAC dismissed the case against DyCM. The lawyer of the Saroori acted upon for DyCM, sources added. |
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