Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 22: In the much publicized double drawl of Petrol Oil Lubricants (POL) by the vehicles attached with the Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu, Puneet Gupta today gave four months time for the completion of investigation instead of six months sought by the State Vigilance Organization. However, in the latest status report submitted by the investigating agency it has been mentioned that different organizations issued POL in favour of the vehicles attached with the Deputy Chief Minister and also in favour of the staff posted in his office.
When the case came up for hearing, the CPO appearing for the Vigilance Organization submitted that status report in terms of earlier orders has been submitted and further six months time was required to complete the investigation on the ground that matter was required to be verified from different officers/drivers posted in different parts of the State.
However, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the applicant Prof S K Bhalla submitted, “the applicant has no grievance so far the direction in which inquiry is taking place in the matter. However, the applicant is aggrieved over the time being taken by the SVO to complete even the preliminary probe in the matter”.
Opposing the time sought by the SVO to complete the inquiry, Advocate Ahmed said, “the agency has already taken sufficient time in this regard and there should be some specific time-limit as well as direction so that even the preliminary investigation comes to close”.
After hearing both the sides, the court turned down the submission of SVO regarding time-frame and remarked, “further four months time should be adequate to complete the inquiry and reach the logical conclusion in the matter”, adding “in case the needful is not done within this period and further time is sought the SVO will be required to satisfy the court for not completing the inquiry within the given time frame”. However, the Court expected the SVO to complete the investigation within the time granted.
In the latest status report, the Vigilance Organization has submitted that it has been found that different departments/organizations have issued POL in favour of vehicles attached with DyCM and also in favour of staff posted in his office. “From the records obtained from different departments and the perusal of log books of vehicles made so far it has been found that quantity of POL issued in favour of 11 vehicles is more than the POL issued in favour of these vehicles”, the report said.
“Since the name of the departments which issued the remaining POL in favour of these vehicles is not coming forward from the log books of these vehicles the matter needs further probe”, the report said, adding “during the course of verification conducted so far it has been found that MTOs/drivers of different departments had not mentioned the name of POL issuing department properly in the log books of the vehicles”.
According to the report, A R Salmani, Additional Secretary to DyCM, Laision Officer to DyCM, Officer on Special Duty with DyCM, Special Assistant to DyCM and DySP Security Jammu have checked the log books of these vehicles from time to time.
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