Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 14: Beginning to lay hands on those officers who enjoy the political patronage, the State Vigilance Organization (SVO) today arrested Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) and Deputy Superintendent of Police under Prevention of Corruption Act.
An official spokesman said that Vigilance Organization Kashmir arrested Shafat Sultan, CEO of JAKEDA in case FIR No.10/2015 registered under Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and 109/120-B RPC.
Shafat Sultan, who enjoys the political patronage, during 2009-2010 financial year had indulged in bungling while making procurement of solar home lighting systems. “The investigation carried out so far has revealed that the accused had placed supply order for procurement of 6872 solar home lights from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at exorbitant rates despite the availability of cheaper options”, the spokesman said.
The investigation has further revealed that the CEO had placed this order only five days before the period of rate contract was ending and also the quotations for new rate contract had already been opened by DGS&D on July 29, 2009, which were available on their website, in which the unit rate of HSLs had been offered at much lower cost. In this way, he caused huge loss to the State exchequer.
“The investigation has revealed that the CEO knowingly and with malafide intentions had placed the order to BEL at exorbitant rates thereby causing loss of Rs 1493 per unit, which when worked out for 6872 units of SHLs is Rs 1,02,59,896”, the spokesman of Vigilance Organization said, adding “further investigation into the matter is going on and involvement of other accused officers and contractors in the case is being worked out”.
It is pertinent to mention here that EXCELSIOR in its edition dated March 4, 2017 had exclusively reported that State Vigilance Organization has failed to lay hands on influential officers involved in various scams. FIR No.10/2015 in which the CEO of JAKEDA has been arrested was among the number of cases mentioned in the report by EXCELSIOR.
The Vigilance Organization Kashmir also arrested Shah Skinder Khan, the then Enforcement Officer, Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) from Jammu, who is presently posted as DySP in JKAP 13th Battalion.
He has been arrested in connection with investigation of case FIR No. 53/2015 registered under Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B RPC. Moreover, two more cases under FIR No. 52/2015 and 54/2015 pertaining to abuse of official position and accumulation of disproportionate assets have been registered against this DySP.
Meanwhile, Vigilance Organization Jammu produced challan in case FIR No.24/2015 against Mohd Shafi, the then Cashier in Treasury Dharmari before the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Udhampur.
Brief facts of the case are that a written complaint was lodged by the complainant namely Inder Singh, Lineman PHE Department alleging therein that the complainant has applied for grant of GP Fund Advance to the tune of Rs 1.40 lakh for domestic expenses and the authorities concerned accorded sanction for release of the same in his favour.
However, the accused Cashier Mohd Shafi demanded an amount of Rs 5000 as bribe from the complainant for payment/release of his sanctioned GP Fund amount. Accordingly, on the basis of the complaint case was registered on May 19, 2015 and investigation of the case was taken-up.
During the investigation a trap was laid and accused Cashier was caught red handed while demanding and accepting Rs 5000 from the complainant in the presence of independent witnesses. The tainted bribe amount of Rs 5000 was recovered from the possession of the accused.
After completion of all the legal formalities the accused Cashier was arrested and subsequently he was bailed out by the court. During the investigation, the accused Cashier was questioned but he failed to give any plausible explanation in support of his defense.
After completion of the investigation the case was processed for accord of Government sanction and accordingly after obtaining necessary Government sanction challan of the case was produced against the accused Cashier before the competent court of law for his judicial determination.
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