Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Nov 23: The State Vigilance Organization (SVO) has established that Principal Government Dental College, Srinagar Dr. Reyaz Farooq resorted to fraud in the purchase of dental equipment meant for the college from Villa India, New Delhi. The SVO has sought permission for registering case against the trio involved in the fraud.
In his report to Special Judge Anti-Corruption Kashmir, SSP Vigilance has said that there is a difference of Rs. 16.50 lakh between the actual cost of Orthophos X G5 DS Ceph and the amount paid by GDC, Srinagar for the machine. The report said that there is a difference of four lakh rupees in the purchase of vertical rack sterilization system procured by GDC, Srinagar.
“The mean cost of the machine (Orthophos X G5 DS Ceph) without sensor is Rs. 19. 50 lakh while as the cost of the sensor is Rs. 9.00 lakh. The total cost of the machine is Rs. 28. 50 lakh while as the cost of machine paid by GDC, Srinagar excluding tax/VAT is Rs. 45 lakh. The approximate exorbitance is Rs. 16. 50 lakh,” said the SSP in his report.
The SSP said that the machine (Orthophos X G5 DS Ceph) has been procured on exorbitant rates in order to cause pecuniary benefits to Principal Government Dental College, Srinagar, Dr. Reyaz Farooq, V. L Narayanan, Proprietor, Villa India, New Delhi and Hamid Bashir, Basha Enterprises, Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
“As such it is requested that permission of registration of case may be granted in view of the order of this Court dated 28-4-2012,” said the SSP in the report.
The SSP said that Jammu and Kashmir Bank authorities have communicated that they are not able to provide full particulars of the account holders to whom 12 payments were made in the name of M/s Villa India, New Delhi.
“A separate communication is required to be made to Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda and ICICI Bank for ascertaining the particulars of account holders to which these payments were made. V. L Narayanan, Proprietor, Villa India, New Delhi and Hamid Bashir, Basha Enterprises, Karan Nagar were informed to attend this organization personally as they are acquainted with the facts of the matter vide this office number VOK/SLK/K-1922 dated 20-7-2012 and number SLK/VOK/Veri/2012/12-K-1905 dated 19-7-2012. They have not attended this organization personally till date despite repeated requests on phone also,” said the SSP in his report.
The SSP said that expert from the oral medicine and radiology vide his communication dated 28-7-2012, in brief mentioned that the specifications/features mentioned in e-mail offers of M/s. Villa India New Delhi dated 08-11-2011, 24-09-2011 and 17-04-2012 to different prospective buyers respectively are same as that of the OPG machine procured by Government Dental College, Srinagar, except the additional/optional sensor for which M/s. Villa India have intimated its selling cost as Rs. 9.00 lakh while as expert i.e., Prof/HoD Periodontia, Government Indira Gandhi Dental College, Jammu vide his number D/Peno/IGGDC/62 dated 04-08-2012 in brief intimated that there is approximate difference of Rs. 4.00 lakh between the procured machinery equipment i.e., complete vertical rack sterilization system and the actual cost depicted.
Since GDC, Srinagar purchased one Orthophos X G5 DS Ceph along with eight complete vertical rack sterilization systems the fraud amounts to almost half a crore. At the same time GDC Jammu has purchased six complete vertical rack sterilization systems at the rates paid by the GDC, Srinagar authorities. Here the fraud is more around Rs. 25 lakh with the total fraud being around Rs.75 lakh.
The revelations about the scandal came to the fore after the Medical Superintendent, (Public Information Officer) GDC responded to the Right to Information (RTI) application moved by Tanveer Hussain Khan.
After this then Special Judge Anti-Corruption Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, directed State Vigilance Organization (SVO) Kashmir to initiate investigations against Dr. Riyaz Farooq, Principal Government Dental College, Srinagar.
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