Manipur Lokayukta on Monday directed Manipur Kakching SP Shrey Vats to investigate an alleged fund embezzlement case in connection with the installation of 33 Kv sub-station project in Chakpikarong, Chandel district.
For proper investigation of the case, the Lokayukta has recommended the state government not to allow managing director, Manipur State Power Company Limited (MSPCL) N Sarat Singh to function as its managing director. It recommends to entrust the function and duties of the said post to an official deem appropriate by the state government till the completion of an ongoing investigation.
Manipur Lokayukta stated that as per a report of the inquiry officer, many documents in relation with the present project i.e. installation of 2 x 1 MVA, 33 kv Sub-Station along with the associated 33 kv line and related works at Chakpikarong in Chandel, executed under the work order dated September 25, 2009 are suspected to be manufactured and recently created ones. Many of the important documents like Measurement Books (MBs) are missing and also many of the officers under the managing director are suspected to be involved in concealing/misplacing and destroying or manufacturing important documents, it stated.
Lokayukta further stated that general managers of MSPCL Thockhom Kaminimohon Singh and Manoharmayum Budhachandra Sharma should be taken out or transferred from their present posting till the completion of the investigation of the case.
The recommendations and directions are for the larger interest of the state government and public at large and shall be implemented as soon as possible for unhindered investigation of the case as per its direction, it mentioned.
It also mentioned that the three officers had already retired from their respective service on superannuation but they are now continuing on re-engagement.
A complaint has been lodged against them with an allegation for embezzlement of huge amount of public money from the fund for the project, construction of 2 x 1MVA Sub-Station at Chakpikarong along with the associated 33 kv line (for 45 km), and related Civil Work on Turn-Key basis under NLCPR (for short ‘present project’) by them causing major changes to the project for which they are not authorised and by doing illegal activities in the name of executing the project, it further stated.
The work order dated September 25, 2009 for construction of 2 x 1MVA Sub-Station at Chakpikarong along with the associated 33 kv line and related civil work on Turn-Key basis under NLCPR (present project) was issued to Shyama Power (India) Pvt Ltd, 15 and 16, Harton Complex, Electronics City, Sector – 18 (part), Gurgaon – 122 015, Haryana (India), Manipur Lokayukta observed.
It is stated that during the course of inquiry, MSPCL had furnished a good number of documents containing the Measurement Books (MBs), bills and Registers etc. of the present project to the inquiry officer and examined some of the engineers who were involved in the execution of the work i.e. the present project.
Total approved cost of the project sanctioned by the Ministry of DONER is Rs 554.90 lakh, of which the share of centre under NLCPR is Rs 499.41 lakh being 90 per cent of approved cost and that of the state share being 10 per cent is Rs 55.49 lakh, it stated.
The sanction order of DONER states that any escalation towards cost of the project has to be borne by the state government from their own resources.
Hence, the state share went up effectively from Rs 55.49 lakh to Rs 454.91 lakh calculated on the basis of the Tender Committee accepted project cost of Rs 954.32 lakh, it further stated.
The state share, which is to be 10 per cent of the project’s cost, went up further to Rs 654.13 lakh after the Public Investment Board (PIB) held on February1, 2014 approved the revised estimates of Rs 1153.54 lakh.
The length of line portion mentioned in the Note of PIB in February 2014 was still 45 km and was stated in the PIB Note to be in progress, Manipur Lokayukta observed.
Against the total project cost of Rs 554.90 lakh sanctioned by the government of India, the share of centre under NLCPR is Rs 499.41 lakh, being 90 per cent of approved cost and that of the state share being 10 per cent is Rs 55.49 lakh.
However, on account of poor framing of the estimates for the project, the contribution of the state share which should have been just 10 per cent of project cost of Rs 544.90 lakh i.e. Rs 55.49 lakh went up to more than 100 per cent i.e. Rs 654.13 lakh, it stated.
It further observed that the project cost also went up from Rs 554.90 lakh to Rs 1153.54 lakh. Therefore, as per the sanction order of DONER, the state government had no option but to bear all the additional burden of escalation and inclusion of new items in the project, it stated.
For registration of the case, Lokayukta decided the case should be registered at the Crime Branch Police Station, Imphal for the purpose of registration of the present case. Manipur Lokayukta also stated to the director general of police, Manipur should ensure the registration of the case at the Crime Branch Police Station, Imphal.
