Hectic lobbying is on in the corridors of power for the Chairman and Managing Director’s post in the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), which is lying vacant for the past six months. The lobbying is to install Capt Sunil Thapar in the coveted post of the Navratna company, despite the ongoing Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) probe against him.
According to sources, ignoring the ongoing CVC probe into irregularities in Thapar’s lTC claims, his name was sent to the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PSEB) for the post of CMD.
The Board, on its part, despite also being aware of the past CBI probes against Thapar, selected him for the top post in August 2012. However, the CVC probe has forced his appointment to be withheld.
“Big lobbies in the shipping sector are working in favour of Thapar and have won over the Government by not filling the CMD’s post for the past six months. Instead of appointing a regular CMD, the Shipping Ministry has appointed an interim CMD to facilitate the entry of Thapar. Now, they are trying their level best for the closure of the CVC probe to install their favoured person,” Shipping Ministry sources said.
CVC officials said that the probe into the false lTC claims against several bureaucrats of SCI, including Thapar is still very much on.
Shipping Ministry sources said Thapar is the protégé of former CMD S Hajara, who had earlier too allegedly come to his rescue to facilitate his appointment as Director of SCI in 2011, despite a CBI probe against him.
“On instructions of S Hajara (ex-CMD), MB Sagar (ex-CVO of SCI) misled PESB, Ministry of Shipping and even the CVC by concealing vital facts about Capt Sunil Thapar. As a result, Capt Thapar succeeded in becoming Director of B&T Division in January 2011. A CBI investigation Ref 010/SHT/064 (date of incident September 22, 2009, opened on October 18, 2010) was pending against him, which closed only on January 25, 2012.
“For the interviews held in August 2012 for the post of CMD, the same CVO again falsely gave him a clean chit. Para 9 of vigilance clearance document issued by him categorically stated that there were ‘no’ allegations of misconduct involving vigilance angle examined against the officer in the last 10 years,” allege several complaints filed by employees and unions in the shipping sector to GK Vasan, Shipping Minister, and the CVC.
The employees and unions pointed out several instances of mismanagement in the SCI, having 79 ships. “The current year’s loss is Rs 114 crore and the previous year’s loss was Rs 426 crore. For the past five years, the company, which is the biggest owner of ships, is being operated in an unprofessional way. The organisation is running without a full time head for the past six months and if situation is not corrected, it will ultimately lose the Navaratna status. It is for the Shipping Ministry to take the call to save SCI,” said the employees, urging immediate intervention of the Ministry.