The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is still awaiting the report that was sought from the principal secretary of Women and Child Welfare Development Department in connection with purchases worth Rs206 crore made by the department in February allegedly in contravention of rules.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is still awaiting the report that was sought from the principal secretary of Women and Child Welfare Development Department in connection with purchases worth Rs206 crore made by the department in February allegedly in contravention of rules.
The ACB had on June 25 started a preliminary inquiry into a complaint made by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) against WCWD minister Pankaja Munde and her department.
The investigating agency, just a day after receiving the complaint letter from MPCC spokesperson Sachin Sawant, dashed off a letter to Sanjay Kumar, principal secretary of WCWD ministry, seeking details in the purchase of items such as chikki, mats, dishes and books for tribal students under the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) programme.
"We have already written from our end and now the principal secretary will furnish us a report. After that we will decide the next course of action," said an ACB officer requesting anonymity as he not authorised to speak to the media. He said they have received no report from WCWD department as yet.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress on Tuesday submitted documents, what it claims as evidence in connection with the alleged irregularities, to the ACB. "We have received the documents that were submitted by the complainant and the same has been sent to the principal secretary of Women and Child Welfare Development Department. He will have to go through them and submit his opinion," said the ACB officer.
In their complaint to the ACB, the MPCC has alleged that purchases worth Rs206 crore were made by the WCWD department without inviting e-tenders as per the guidelines prescribed by the general administrative department. As per GAD norms, it is mandatory to invite e-tender for any purchase of over Rs10 lakh.
The MPCC further alleged that Munde reportedly issued 24 government resolutions in one day to issue purchase orders for all the said materials, a move that has aroused suspicions.
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