*Bridge nearing completion but not the probe
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 17: Though the controversies mired Ganpat Bridge in Doda district is nearing completion after a long gap of nine years, the investigation by the State Vigilance Organization (SVO) into illegalities committed during allotment of project has yet not reached the logical conclusion despite the fact that the final investigation report establishing charges under Prevention of Corruption Act and different Sections of RPC was submitted to the Central Vigilance Office for further orders in the month of February 2014.
The construction of this vital bridge was started way back in 2006 at an estimated cost of Rs 29.95 crore and after expenditure of several crores of rupees the work on the project came to the halt because of certain issues between the project executing agency and the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation Limited.
In the meanwhile, the State Vigilance Organization received a complaint mentioning that several illegalities were committed by some officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation in order to confer undue benefit upon the private construction agency.
After preliminary verification, the State Vigilance Organization lodged FIR No.15 on August 6, 2011 for in-depth probe into the matter. However, right from the very beginning attempts were made from certain quarters to stall the investigation. Finally, as per the direction of the court, the then Senior Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Organization Jammu on February 18, 2014 submitted a status report in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, which is also authorized to handle the corruption related cases.
In the status report, the then SSP Vigilance while mentioning the names of the erring officers and officials had mentioned that they entered into criminal conspiracy in allotment of tender for construction of balance cantilever bridge over river Chenab at Pul Doda to a private party. “The latest development is that on the basis of oral and documentary evidences collected during the course of investigation the case has been taken to its logical conclusion and the final investigation report under Section 5(1)(c)(d) read with Section 5(2) of Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006 and Section 120-B and 420-A RPC has been submitted to the Central Vigilance Office, Jammu for perusal and further orders after legal scrutiny”, reads the status report dated February 18, 2014.
“What happened thereafter is not known to anybody as neither the case was formally closed nor orders were issued for further action into the case which includes presentation of challan in the court of law”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding even the then Minister Incharge Roads and Buildings, in reply to the question of sitting MLA from Doda, Shakti Parihar, had informed the Legislative Assembly during last Budget Session that Vigilance Organization has yet not completed probe into Ganpat Bridge.
However, what the Government did thereafter to ensure that the premier investigating agency of the State take the case to the logical conclusion has also remained a mystery, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that due to stalling of work on the bridge for some years, the cost of the project has increased from Rs 29.95 crore to Rs 35.71 crore and the same is being attributed to time over-run, reimbursement of actual service tax and price variation adjustment on account of increase in cost of material, wages and other overheads.
“Though the work on the bridge is likely to be completed in the month of March this year that too after a long gap of nine years, which otherwise should have not taken more than three years, the investigation into the illegalities committed during allotment of bridge started in 2011 with the registration of formal FIR has not been taken to logical conclusion till date”, sources said, adding “it seems that there is pressure on the Vigilance Organization from certain quarters for not completing the probe otherwise there is no justification behind dumping the case that too after submission of final investigation report by the SSP in the month of February 2014”.
“Four and half years is a very long period for completion of probe into any case”, sources said, adding “completion of work on the much needed bridge doesn’t mean that illegalities committed at very outset have to be ignored that too after registration of formal FIR”.
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