Srinagar, Nov 12 (IANS) J&K Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday registered a case against a former chief engineer and others allegedly involved in corruption.
A statement by ACB said: “During the course of verification, it came to fore that tender was invited through Joint Commissioner Works/ Chief Engineer Mughal Road Project PWD (R&B) Department on 15.03.2005 and after the due procedure, the award of the contract was allotted to M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. for ₹214,40,00,000 by Development Commissioner Works on the approval/ recommendation of State Contract Committee.
An agreement into this effect was entered vide Agreement No. 61 PW(R&B) of 2006, dated 06.02.2006 wherein the date of start was 01.03.2006 and the date of completion was 36 months i.e. 28.02.2009. Thereafter, the supplementary agreement drawn on 25.01.2010 has been entered into the parties for ₹126.64 crores, with the date of completion as 31.03.2011.
Extension of time was further granted with time of completion up to 15-02-2012.
As the work was not completed up to the prescribed time i.e. 15.02.2012, the company again raised the issue for grant of extension of time for delay. The matter was referred to Arbitration for settling the disputes so raised.
The verification conducted further revealed that Chief Engineer Raman Puri used to interact/meet with representatives of M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd outside his office without following the codal procedure with the intention of extracting undue benefit.
The then Chief Engineer in connivance with M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. taking undue advantage of the prior escalation clause, signed a letter on the letterhead of the construction company, agreeing to the mutual conditions including accepting of prior escalation for the period w.e.f 15.02.2012 to 31.12.2012, which resulted in the arbitration award of ₹21.52 crore plus ₹11.27 crore in favour of Hindustan Construction Company and corresponding loss to the government exchequer.
By acting in this manner, the then Chief Engineer, Mughal Road Project PWD (R&B) Department namely Raman Puri, by abuse of his official position and in lieu of criminal conspiracy with the beneficiary company, exceeded his powers/competence and accepted the terms and conditions of Contractor M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd which formed the basis of the award by Arbitration tribunal dated 28.03.2019.
The undue benefit was given to the company with the extension of time for which no prior order/communication stands issued, besides prevented imposition of liquidation of damages to the tune of ₹54.00 crores on the company for its inability to complete the project in the stipulated time etc.
The facts constitute the commission of offences punishable under section 5(1) (d) r/w Section 5 (2) of J&K PC Act Svt 2006 & section 120-B of RPC against Raman Puri, then Chief Engineer, beneficiary company M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. and others. Consequently, a case FIR No. 23/2024 is registered in P/S ACB Srinagar. Further investigation into the case is going on.
–IANS
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