Mukeet Akmali.
Central Bureau of Investigation today registered a case against some officials of Air Force Station Awantipora for allegedly issuing fake contracts for lifting and dumping of garbage. The agency registered another case against some officials of State Bank of India Awantipora branch for an alleged fraud.
CBI is conducting preliminary investigation against Air Force Station Awantipora for issuing tender on fictitious names and flouting the norms of quotations and allotment of contracts annually for lifting and dumping of garbage from various lifting points of the premises of Air Force Station.
According to sources, it has been revealed that during the financial year 2011-2012, formalities relating to nine quotations which were opened on 18th Feb, 2011, under the supervision of B. Lakshmi Kant, Squadron Leader, presiding officer, were abandoned unjustifiably. M/s Bhat Contractors & General Order Supplier was L-1 bidder with the rate of Rs. 995 per tractor trip, whereas Ghulam Rasool Wagay of M/s Gh. Rasool & Sons was L-2 bidder with the rate of Rs. 1009 in those proceedings.
Thereafter, instead of giving contract to M/S Bhat Contractors, suspect Air Force officials illegally managed two new quotations on April 4 from Ghulam Rasool Wagay of M/s Gh. Rasool & Sons, (previously L-2 bidder) with new quoted rate of Rs. 785/- and 2nd from M/s Bhat Contractors (earlier L-1 bidder) with new managed rate of Rs. 1190.
It is also alleged that Gh. Rasool Wagay is a simple laborer, drawing wages of Rs 110 per day from the Air Force authorities and was raised as a dummy contractor to misappropriate the contract amount every year approximately to the tune of Rs 9 lakhs, whereas the said contract of garbage lifting was self managed by suspect Air Force officials.
“In view of facts and circumstances a Preliminary Enquiry is registered and entrusted to Rouf Bashir Bhat, Inspector, CBI, Srinagar for thorough probe,” CBI officials told Greater Kashmir.
CBI is also conducting preliminary investigation into a second case in which it is alleged that officials of SBI were having nexus with one Muhammad Makroo in issuing fake Form 22, thereby causing loss to the bank to the tune of 1.10 crores.
A CBI official told Greater Kashmir that Muhammad Makroo Prop. of M/s Valley Syndicate Awantipora in the year 2005 had obtained Rs 47 lakhs CC limit from SBI Awantipora branch under traders scheme for running his business, for which he had mortgaged certain immovable property as collateral security, stocks and other accessories as primary security.
But according to the official, in the year 2007 Makroo got the same property enhanced to Rs. 1.10 crores under tie-up scheme, for purchase of tractors from M/s Escorts Pvt. Ltd. Faridabad. This time he had mortgage the same immovable property as a collateral security and there was an agreement between borrower, lending bank and Supplier Company, vide which the supplier company was to confirm the payment and release the tractors with copy of invoice to be dispatched to the said bank and dealer, whereas Form 22 was to be dispatched to the bank only.
Further, Form 22 was to serve as additional security for the bank, as dealer could not have registered the sold tractors with respective RTOs/ ARTOs, without procuring these forms from the bank. Therefore the sale proceeds of the sold tractors were to be deposited with the bank and tractors to be registered on the basis of these forms.
But in the month of April, 2010 M/s Valley Syndicate, Awantipora placed an order for supply of 17 tractors from M/s Escorts Pvt. Ltd., under channel finance from SBI Awantipora Branch and accordingly M/s Escorts Ltd. supplied 17 tractors in the month of April, 2010 directly to M/s Valley Syndicate Awantipora, whereas requisite documents i.e invoices, Form 22 etc. were sent to the concerned bank for necessary action.
M/s Valley Syndicate Awantipora neither collected Form 22 from the bank nor the suspect bank officials took any initiative in supplying these Forms-22 to the said firm, though they were knowing that these 17 tractors were procured by M/s Valley Syndicate under their finance. Therefore, with the help of the suspect bank officials, said tractors were fraudulently sold on fake Forms-22 by the borrower. The bank officers who inspected the said firm never pointed out these illegal transactions of the firm in their reports, during stock checking, and only directed the firm to regularize the bank accounts.
As per import documents at Lower Munda check post only 15 tractors have crossed over to the valley with engine/ chassis No. as mentioned on the invoices/ From-22, of M/s Escorts Pvt.Ltd. The remaining 2 tractors are not traceable.
Further, out of these 15 tractors, 5 tractors were registered with ARTO Baramulla, 2 were registered with ARTO Kupwara whereas fate of left over 8 tractors is not known. It has been revealed that fake forms-22 have been used for registration of these tractors with the respective ARTOs, purportedly, having been sold by different firm namely M/s Motor Valley Corporation, Baramulla, whereas, these tractors were initially procured by barrower M/s Valley Syndicate, Awantipora, who was granted CC limit of 1.10 crores by SBI Awantipora. No sale proceeds of these sold tractors were deposited with the lending bank and the amount was, thus, misappropriated.
Therefore, M/s Valley Syndicate has misappropriated the sale amount of Rs. 1.10 crores as a matter of criminal conspiracy with the suspect bank officials, CBI sources said. Further, no action has been taken by the bank authorities and this amount has been declared as NPA.
Official said that the facts and circumstances prima facia disclose criminal acts of forgery, cheating, conspiracy and misuse of official position, as such a regular case is registered against Gh. Muhammad Makroo, Prop.M/s Valley Syndicate, Awantipora and other unknown officials of SBI u/s 120-B r/w 420, 468, 471 RPC and section 5 (1) (d) r/w 5(2) of J&K, PC Act. Samvat 2006 and investigation is currently going on.
CBI has further informed the general pubic that if anyone having any information of graft demand, fund embezzlement etc in any Central Govt. department should contact on 0194-2452200.
-via Greater Kashmir
