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Sanjay Patil : Nagpur : THE Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has strongly defended its ongoing probe into multi-crore irrigation scam and opposed transfer of further investigation to any other agency like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Directorate of Enforcement (ED), and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). The investigation is being conducted expeditiously in “transparent, just and fair manner,” the ACB claimed in an affidavit filed before Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court while asserting that enquiries entrusted to ACB shall be done diligently and opposing transfer of probe to other agency as demanded.
The affidavit portraying ongoing investigation as stupendous success has been filed ahead of final hearing before High Court on March 13. The ACB claimed that the special investigation teams at Nagpur and Amravati have always “shown honest endeavour, considering the voluminous documents to be scrutinised, detailed statements to be recorded, information to be gathered so that the investigation/enquiries are taken to logical end in a speedy space.” The affidavit sworn in by Amravati SP (ACB) Shrikant Dhiware claimed that so far SITs have registered 39 criminal offences including 27 at Nagpur ad 12 at Amravati. Interestingly, the ACB claimed that it found no criminal element in many cases but only procedural and administrative irregularities and had recommended departmental action against concerned public servants.
The ACB had recommended departmental probe against 20 Executive Engineers (Nagpur-17, Amravati-03) and 19 divisional account officers attached to the office of the then executive engineers. About the latest cases filed by SIT, the affidavit claimed that in case of Jigaon the chargesheet has been filed against a private contractor on February 24, 2020, but chargesheet against public servants has not been filed due to order of High Court. In case of Raigad and Nimna Pedhi projects, the ACB filed chargesheet against private contractor on March 2. Investigation of irregularities of Waghadi project is over and ACB has sought prosecution sanction from competent authority and forwarded a proposal on February 24.
About the open enquiry conducted by ACB at Amravati region, out of 28 tenders probed, 12 offences have been registered chargesheet has been filed in three offences. In one offence investigation is completed and proposals for prosecution sanction have been sent to the competent authorities of the concerned public servants. Open enquiries of 15 irrigation projects are completed and closed as no criminal offence was disclosed, the ACB claimed. The enquiries are monitored by SPs of Nagpur and Amravati units on day-to-day basis while the Additional Director General (ACB) is supervising and scrutinising the investigations and open enquiries, the ACB claimed. During last hearing held on February 13, the demand of petitioner Atul Jagtap seeking to join CBI, ED, and SFIO was vehemently opposed by respondents including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar dubbing it as politically motivated.
SUPPORTING the stance taken by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in irrigation scam and progress made by two SITs so far, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has strongly opposed handing over of irrigation scam cases to any central agency. In his second detailed affidavit filed in last two months before Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, Pawar praised the ACB for its fair, fast and transparent investigations and claimed that he too was subjected to questioning during the probe.
ReplyDeleteDenying any political pressure or change of stance in ACB’s role after he assumed the post of Deputy Chief Minister, Pawar slammed the petitioner Atul Jagtap with trying to falsely implicating him in the scam. He charged the petitioner Jagtap with personal vendetta and trying to malign his image and questioned his locus. Pawar’s lawyers have used quite aggressive language in the affidavit filed ahead of final hearing of the cases slated on March 13. Interestingly, Pawar also justified the seemingly contradictory stance taken by two ACB heads in which first he was accused of masterminding the scam and later granted a clean chit and claimed that both the positions were based on evidence and later affidavit had the advantage of reports by the SIT.
Similar stance was taken by ACB DG Param Bir Singh who had claimed that there was no contradiction but change in stance due to fresh material on record. The PIL petitioners including Jan Manch and Jagtap had slammed the ACB for granting clean chit to Pawar and demanded handing over the probe to Enforcement Directorate or CBI or to appoint judicial commission. While asserting his constitutional right to remain silent in not answering, Pawar while tracing the journey of irrigation scam from Wadnere and Mendhegiri Committee reports upto latest affidavits filed by ACB claimed total innocence and stoutly denied indulgence “in any corrupt, malafide or motivated act while discharging my duties as Minister.” “Every decision has been taken as per law and in line with procedures and I have not favoured any one and all contracts were awarded by the department in accordance with rules and did not warrant my interference,” Pawar claimed while denying repeated violation of Rules of Business.
“I am not accused in any of the case, nor there is any evidence against me,” Pawar claimed in his affidavit while slamming the petitioner for trying to portray him as mastermind of irrigation scam. Describing petitioner Jagtap as a contractor, Pawar questioned his locus in filing the Public Interest Litigation and trying to level serious allegations of corruption against him. Strongly opposing the prayer made by Jan Manch to appoint judicial enquiry commission and by Jagtap to hand over the probe to ED or CBI, Pawar claimed that the investigation was going in right direction.
He extensively quoted from the successive affidavits of the ACB to prove progress in the matter. Pointing out that courts have limited powers to interfere in the on-going investigations, Pawar pointed out that there was no need to disbelieve the ACB and it has conducted the probe without favour and fear and indeed interrogated him extensively. Pawar also objected to language used by petitioners in their applications and using vague language to obfuscation. “The applicant has donned the role of investigating agency that has neither locus nor expertise,” Pawar claimed while slamming Jagtap. The ACB in its latest affidavit had also opposed the transfer of irrigation scam probe to other agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Directorate of Enforcement (ED), and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and had strongly defended its ongoing probe into multi-crore irrigation.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Nagpur have registered a fresh First Investigation Report (FIR) on Wednesday naming five retired and serving officials of Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) over alleged irregularities in a tender related to ambitious Gosikhurd irrigation project. A team of ACB Nagpur is investigating alleged irregularities in the tender process and awarding of construction work of Gosikhurd Irrigation Project.
ReplyDeleteThe ACB, during investigation, unearthed irregularities in the projects and suspected role of several officials in alleged acts of collusion with contractors. On the basis of complaint given by ACB officials, the FIRs were registered at Sadar police station. The accused named in the FIR include the then Executive Engineer of VIDC Keshav Chandrakant Tayde; the then Superintending Engineer Sanjay Laxman Kholapurkar; the then Chief Engineer (retd) Sopan Ramrao Suryawanshi; the then Executive Director (retd) Rohidas Maroti Landge; Senior Divisional Accountant (Gosikhurd) Dhanraj Atmaram Anandagawali. A press release of ACB stated that the officials had illegally increased cost of tender of Gosikhurd right bank canal from km no 6 to 30 by Rs 8.5 cr.
Similarly, the officials had not taken consent of Executive Director of VIDC, Mantralaya, Mumbai and themselves approved the escalated cost. An offence under Sections 13 (a) (c) (d) read with Section 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 at Sadar police station. Under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Rashmi Nandedkar, Additional SP Rajesh Duddhalwar, the Divisional Investigation Committee including Deputy SP Milind Totre, and staff including Manoj Karankar, Gajanan Gadge, Vikas Gadgelawar took the action.