Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 9: Sending a loud and clear message to the corrupt elements in the police uniform holding senior positions, the State Government has accorded sanction to prosecute an officer of the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), whose dishonest acts caused loss of lakhs of rupees to the Police Department exchequer. This has paved the way for State Vigilance Organization (SVO) to present challan against the officer in the court of law.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that on the basis of a complaint vis-a-vis favouritism in the purchase of large quantity of coolant, State Vigilance Organization, Kashmir lodged FIR No.47 in the year 2007 against SSP Police Technical Workshop, Srinagar, Afroz Ahmed Malik, Sub-Inspector Abdul Aziz Ganaie and owner of two Srinagar-based firms.
During the course of investigation, it came to fore that without floating tenders and adhering to other codal formalities, SSP Afroz Ahmed Malik approved rate lists of two Srinagar based firms owned by one person, for purchase of coolant for the Tata and Maruti Suzuki make vehicles, sources said.
During the course of scrutiny of record, the State Vigilance Organization further came to know that the owner of firms had conveyed that the rate lists of coolant were approved by the Delhi and Jaipur based manufacturers.
However, during investigation it was found that the rate lists submitted by the owner of the Srinagar based firms were not issued by the manufacturers and were prepared by the owner on his own by inflating the figures, sources said, adding “the manufacturers of coolant even denied having supplied their product to these Srinagar based companies for onward supply to the Police Technical Workshop”.
In response to a question, sources said, “the actual cost of coolant sold by the Srinagar based firms to the Police Technical Workshop was Rs 3 lakh but the firms submitted bills of Rs 9 lakh in connivance with SSP Afroz Ahmed Malik and others”, adding “in this way the accused persons caused loss of Rs 6 lakh to the exchequer of Police Technical Workshop”.
In order to ascertain the quality of coolant supplied by the Srinagar based firms, the State Vigilance Organization even approached the authorities of Maruti Suzuki and Tata companies with the samples and both these companies found the coolant supplied to the Police Technical Workshop of poor quality. These companies even conveyed to the Vigilance sleuths that coolant of such a poor quality can cause even damage to the engines of the vehicles.
After the completion of investigation into the case, State Vigilance Organization approached the State Government seeking sanction to prosecute SSP Police Technical Workshop, Srinagar. “Few days back, Government accorded sanction and now the Vigilance Organization would present challan in the court of law”, sources said.
In response to a question, they said, “there is no requirement of sanction to prosecute SI Abdul Aziz Ganaie as he is no more in the Government service”, adding “the sanction is only required in case of serving employee”.
By according sanction to prosecute serving SSP, the Government has sent a loud and clear message that whosoever is found involved in the corrupt practices would be taken to task.
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