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| VO presents challan against Ajit Kumar in jute mats scam | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Jan 1
Vigilance Organization Jammu today presented challan in much publicized case of jute matting scam in education department which took place in the year 1997-1998..The challan was presented in the Court of Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu against the then Additional Chief Secretary and IAS officer Ajit Kumar, Janak Singh the then Financial Advisor, Ghulam Rasool Vakil alias Lassa Vakil and Abdul Rehman Bhat Prop M/S Commercial Corporation limited Srinagar, supplier Jute Matting.
Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu Mr. Kartar Singh while proceeding against Ajit Kumar, who was not present at the time of presenting challan, exempted him on the undertaking of Adv DS Chouhan that he will produce the accused in the Court on the next date of hearing.
VOJ after about 10 years investigation of the case came to the conclusion that the State Level Purchase Committee (SLPC) of Education Department headed by Ajit Kumar the then Additional Chief Secretary along with other members including Mumtaz Soz and AK Mehta as Director School Education Kashmir/ Jammu and Janak Singh FA/CAO Education Department, issued NIT on July 16, 1997 for purchase of jute matting from original manufactures fixing the last date for receipt of tenders August 20, 1997. In response to NIT nine tenders were received, however, on September 3, 1997, Ajit Kumar took over as Additional Chief Secretary Education Dept and by virtue of his posting he became ex-officio Chairman of the SLPC. The SLPC met under the chairmanship of Ajit Kumar on September 18, 1997 and October 8, 1997 and pursuant to a conspiracy in these two crucial meetings it was decided that SLPC would go only for the purchase of Birla make jute matting although it was not stipulation in the NIT.
According to the challan presented by the VOJ the investigation conducted reveals that out of three tenders, one was filed in the name of M/S Commercial Corporation while as the other two tenders were from the name and style of Kashmir furnishing and international trading corporation. These two tenders were also found by the same person and it was proved that out of two firms one firm Kashmir Furnishing House was non-existent company, while as M/S National Trading Corporation Ltd belongs to Muzaffar Sajad s/o accused No 4 Abdul Rehman Bhat (Prop of Commercial Corp). In fact these 3 tenders were filed deliberately in the name of Birla Brand while two tenders instead of CDR/FDRs worth Rs 2 lakh each, two cheque leaves were annexed. Both these cheques were found issued against the accounts of accused No 4 A R Bhat which were found non-operational. Both the accounts were not operating and cheques were otherwise invalid. Besides no authorization certificates from the original manufacturer were attached with these two tender which was a condition in the NIT. In view of these positions the tender documents were liable to be rejected but a part of conspiracy these three tenders belonging to one and the same party were deliberately kept in the fray only to benefit the choiced tenderer. The conditions laid down in NIT were not willfully and deliberately adhered to in respect of two tenders out of the only three tenders in the fray. These two invalid tenders should have been out rightly rejected, since only one tender was submitted in accordance with conditions laid down in NIT, SLPC was duty bound to go for fresh tendering, which was not done for obvious reasons. Initially a supply order of three lakh meters of jute matting was placed with accused firm @ Rs 55.50 per meter after negotiations even without getting approval of the minister concerned.
It has been further revealed that. AK Mehta the then Director School Education Jammu, one of the members of the purchase committee, did not attend the two meetings, however, while perusing the minutes of the meeting it was found that it was found that he had raised genuine and pertinent observations and recommended that prior to the process of purchase a certificate from approved dealer shall be taken to the effect that the rates negotiated are the lowest in any case. However, these observations were termed as irrelevant by Janak Singh. It was further submitted in the challan that Ghulam Rasool Vakil, as agent of Ajit Kumar, has by getting inducted himself as a partner of the supplier firm by using the official position of Ajit Kumar, earned a profit of more than Rs 12 lakhs out of the said deal. He entered into conspiracy with Ajit Kumar thereby asking him to exert pressure on accused No 4 to make him a partner in the said deal and accused in doing so thereby drawn undue profit Rs 12 lakhs.
Both Ajit Kumar and Ghulam Rasool arrested by the VOJ were bailed court by court orders. JNF |
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