Files pertaining to scam tampered with
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 4: In a major breach of official discipline, attached Managing Director of JAKFED, Ravinder Gupta today entered into the office, gathered some sensitive files pertaining to irregularities committed by him in cement and transportation scam and then escaped with his liquor baron friend in media and Editor States Times, Raj Daluja alias Raji in latter’s vehicle from JAKFED office at Ambphalla this afternoon.
High drama unfolded in JAKFED office this afternoon when Ravinder Gupta, who happened to be husband of IAS officer and Excise Commissioner, Vineeta Gupta, reached JAKFED office at Ambphalla after failing to get any relief from the High Court, and started collecting files pertaining to the irregularities committed by him for which he had been attached by the Government and an inquiry ordered against him on May 30.
Gupta had sought stay on the Government order on his attachment from the High Court. Justice JP Singh, before whom the case was listed today, issued notices to the Government and sought response till next week. However, the Government order on attachment of Gupta was not stayed.
Alert staff of JAKFED immediately raised an alarm and sounded the Enquiry Committee members as soon as Gupta entered the office after failure to get relief from the court for his acts of omissions and commissions and started tampering with files pertaining to the scam.
Minister for Cooperatives Dr Manohar Lal Sharma said one of the Enquiry Committee members, Udham Dass, Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies, Jammu, immediately rushed to the JAKFED office. He approached Rehari police post with a written complaint seeking protection for seizure of the files from the MD’s office before he could run away from the spot.
Sources said the JAKFED staff, which was deadly against Ravinder Gupta for the irregularities committed by him, gheroed Gupta in the office.
Mr Sharma said Udham Dass along with police reached the JAKFED office.
Finding himself trapped by the Enquiry Committee member, police and JAKFED staff, Gupta utilized the services of liquor baron, Raj Daluja alias Raji, who reached the spot in his car.
“Both Gupta and Daluja fled away in the car reportedly with some of the files pertaining to the scam’’, Mr Sharma added.
Most of the JAKFED officials and police personnel present at the spot confirmed that the MD fled from the office along with Daluja, who had reached the office to help his friend, who happened to be husband of Excise Commissioner, Vineeta Gupta. It may be mentioned that Raji had been resorting to various illegal practices in the Excise business with the blessings of some bureaucrats.
Sources said despite being attached, Gupta had used official vehicle bearing No. 6263.
Later, Enquiry Committee member Udham Dass seized some files from the office of JAKFED MD for investigations.
Mr Sharma said the Enquiry Committee would also probe Gupta’s illegal act of tampering with the files.
It may be mentioned here that the Government had constituted a three members Enquiry Committee to probe irregularities by Ravinder Gupta and ordered his attachment to the office of Registrar Cooperative Societies, Srinagar.
The Inquiry Committee comprised Rayaz Ahmad Mir, Joint Registrar, Banking and Finance, Udham Dass, Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Jammu and Accounts Officer, Registrar Office, Srinagar.
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