Role of two more employees in the scam came to light. EOW of City Police begin investigation
Nagpur: Fearing involvement of more higher officials in the stationery scam, the NMC administration has not given its approval to the 3-member panel set up by the Standing Committee to probe the scam and also all the dealings of the tainted contractors sanctioned in the last five years and submit report within 15 days. The file on the probe panel is lying on the table of the Municipal Commissioner waiting to be signed. The red-tape has hindered investigations into the stationery scam as well as all other dubious dealings in the last five years.
According to sources, the role of more top officials in the stationery scam or bogus contracts scam is being feared by the NMC administration. This fear could be the reason for the administration delaying the approval to the 3-member panel set up by the Standing Committee.
Meanwhile, further investigation by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has revealed that two more staffers were allegedly involved in the bogus contracts scam. In another development, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of City Police has started an investigation into the case.
According to media reports, the Departmental Enquiry (DE) has been started against a retired woman employee of Accounts and Finance Department. She worked as an auditor in the department and allegedly cleared a few bogus bills of the arrested contractor Padmakar ‘Kolba’ Sakode. She had superannuated on June 30. Another employee is a woman working as a clerk with the Solid Waste Management Department. This clerk generated bills online on the payment module of NMC and approved it with the user ID and password of the Head of the Department, the reports said.
Sources further said that no action has been taken against the clerk. Also, no further course of action has been initiated against clerk Sanis Gokhe who was served show cause notice a few days ago. Executive Engineer Naresh Borkar and Junior Engineer Sanjay Ingale too faced show cause notice for sharing user ID and password with Gokhe but further action is pending. Gokhe had generated bills and approved using user IDs and passwords of Borkar and Ingale.
Now, the number of NMC staffers involved in the case has increased to eight. Also, one official and two engineers faced show cause notice for sharing user IDs and passwords with subordinates.
The Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B has reportedly decided to take action against all after a seven-member committee headed by Additional Municipal Commissioner Deepak Kumar Meena submits its report. The committee formed on December 17 was told to submit a report in seven days. Despite the passing of the deadline, the report is yet to be submitted.
Meanwhile, the seven-member SIT of Economic Offences Wing took all documents from Sadar police, went through them and inspected NMC’s head office. The scam was reported on December 14 and the Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar had decided to hand over the case from Sadar police to EoW and formation of SIT on Saturday. The SIT is headed by PI Pravin Kamble and comprises a PSI and five constables.
