Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 21: The State Vigilance Organisation today registered a case under various provisions of anti-corruption laws against three officers of Works Department and others on the basis of Joint Surprise Check (JSC) conducted into the allegations that PWD (R&B) Division, Udhampur had withdrawn Rs 24.25 lakh for construction of bridge over Devak Nullah at Benisang where as no bridge had actually been constructed.
The officers booked by the Vigilance Organisation in the case of fraud and corruption included S P Gupta, then Executive Engineer, Ram Singh, the then AEE and Verinder Kumar, the then JE, PWD (R&B) Division Udhampur and others on the basis of a JSC conducted into the allegations.
The JSC revealed that the then Executive Engineer PWD (R&B) Division Udhampur S P Gupta had floated tender for the work of repair to Foot Suspension Bridge (365′-0″ span) over river Tawi at Benis-ang for a tendered cost of Rs 9 lakh vide NIT No: T-30/ 2009-10, Dated 7/2009.
The work was further allotted to the contractor Kuldeep Raj son of Bishan Dass, a resident of village Bain for an allotted amount of Rs 11.32 lakh vide Executive Engineer allotment No. 4543-49, Dated 31-08-2009.
The Executive Engineer had floated tender without Technical Sanction (TS), which was a pre-requisite as per rules. In absence of accord of AAA/ TS/ Availability of funds against a specific work, the tenders cannot be floated by the Executive Engineer and thus he had abused his official position.
Further, funds to the tune of Rs 23.90 lakh had been received by the department under District Plan in installments in anticipation of accord of AAA for the work construction of 38 meters span Foot Suspension Bridge over Devak Nallah at Benisang during the period 2008-09.
The amount of Rs 23.90 lakh released by the Government for construction of the bridge had been misappropriated by the accused Executive Engineer in criminal conspiracy with the officers/ officials and others who remained associated with the work.
“Thus, the officers/officials of PWD (R&B) abused their official positions and exhausted the State exchequer unnecessarily. The investigation of the case has been taken-up,” official sources said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel