State ombudsman, who already get a case registered against former managing director of Samaj Kalyan Nirman Nigam (SKNN) VP Singh, after finding the charges of corruption and indulging in unethical practice against the officer primarily true, had now served him a show-cause notice before recommending action in the matter. lokayukt Justice (retd), NK Mehrotra, in his show-cause notice issued to the accused, had sought his explanation regarding the allegations made by the complainant and that which are also found true during probe.
Mehrotra when contacted confirmed to have served a notice against the former MD of the SKNN and others and said to have given time till October 26. He said that if no reply would be given in the matter, he would recommend appropriate action against the accused persons. Sources said that as the MD was already retired, so he could face recovery notice of the unnecessary expenditure which have been caused due to irregularities made by him and the State Ombudsman could also recommend cut in his pension as a punishment.
Sources confirmed that Mehrotra had summoned detail report regarding the allegation made on VP Singh, from the present MD of the Corporation, Pranjal Yadav. However, as Yadav was away so he deputed Chief General Manager, AK Sant, to furnish the same on his behalf. Sources further confirmed that Sant submitted his report to Mehrotra in which he confirmed of several irregularities and arbitrary decision taken by VP Singh. The report mentioned that even when the finance/administration had not issued any order regarding construction work of Central School to be carried out by the said corporation, and even when the committee of the corporation raised serious objection, VP Singh, took decision on his own to float tender.
Not only this, against all the rules of the corporation, Singh had appointed one of the bidder as RsStrategic Partner’, just after the tender exercise came under scrutiny. Singh also not consider the recommendation made by the law department and when the earnest money for the project has been fixed as Rs 35 lakh, Singh again reduced this amount to Rs 12.50 lakh just to facilitate a contractor close to him. After finding above gross irregularities, lokayukt now asked Singh to clarify the above or face action. Sources also said that for the irregularities in Kanpur, lokayukta served notice to superintending engineer, Ram Swaroop, seeking a reply on the allegation made against him.
It may be mentioned that a complaint has been filed against VP Singh, who retired from MD post in August last. Sources confirmed that Central School head-quarter in New Delhi had approved a proposal of erecting buildings of two more Central Schools in Hardoi and Jalhaur respectively. They made the SKNN as the working agency and issued letter to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and then dispatched it to Delhi so that final call could be made in the matter along with fixing of the budget. Sources disclosed that as the MD of the said corporation was going to retire soon so in a hurry, he along with some other officials invited tender for the above work and allegedly engaged a private builder to carry out the work. To facilitate the builder, the said officer alleged to have made his company as RsStrategic Partner’ of the project and also fixed the budget to Rs 25 crore for each building before floating the tenders. However, the move of the officials of SKNN reportedly exposed when the Central School head quarter, refused the proposal and asked SKNN that the total budget as per their plan is just Rs 15 crore per building so they must send the DPR accordingly.
However, after learning of the above decision and cut in the budget for construction, the said private builder reportedly asked the officials of SKNN that he could not do the project in Rs 15 crore so his proposal should be returned. He also reportedly asked to return the Rsconsideration’ he paid to get the tender. Finding themselves in trouble, the SKNN officials tried to convince the builder that they will get the budget increase. They also claimed to have already requested the Central School head-quarter to increase the budget to Rs 20 crore citing that they already floated tenders on Rs 15 crore but no one had made the bid.
Sources further said that after waiting for a year hoping of some Rsadjustment’ the said builder contacted lokayukt, NK Mehrotra and submitted a complaint against then MD of SKNN, VP Singh and others. However, he not mentioned of the ‘consideration’ which he reportedly made to get the favour, but just raised the question against SKNN officials asking that why they floated tenders when even the DPR or the budget for the project has been not approved by Central School head-quarter and that when the SKNN was already made the working agency for the purpose so why they engaged him as Rsstrategic partner’.