Delhi L-G orders FIR against 9 retired, two serving DDA officials in 9-year-old corruption case

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and the has ordered an FIR against nine retired and two serving Delhi Development Authority (DDA) officials in a nine-year-old case of financial misappropriation, officials said on Thursday. The LG, who is the DDA chairman, has also ordered permanent withdrawal of the nine retired officials' pension, they said.

"Lt Governor VK Saxena, in his capacity as DDA chairman, has ordered that an FIR be registered against the then member (finance) and then member (engineering) of DDA, apart from nine other officials in a 2013 case of blatant financial misappropriation and violation of codal formalities, Central Public Works Department Works Manual," officials said.

The nine retired officials include a chief engineer, a superintendent engineer and an executive engineer while the others were employed in the finance and accounts departments.

On "permanent withdrawal of full pension benefits", officials said the LG took the stern measure considering the "grave misconduct and loss to the exchequer" even as the DDA recommended deducting only 25 per cent of the amount.

The officials facing action include then Member (Engineering) Abhay Kumar Sinha, the then Member (Finance) Venkatesh Mohan, Chief Engineer (Retd) Om Prakash, Superintending Engineer (Retd) Nahar Singh, EE (Retd) JP Sharma, Dy. CAO (Retd) PK Chawla, AAO (Retd) Jasvir Singh, AAD (Retd) SC Mongia, AE (Retd) SC Mittal, AE (Retd) RC Jain, and AE (Retd) Dilbagh Singh Bains.

According to officials, the case relates to the work for up-gradation and beautification of Coronation Park at Kingsway Camp that was awarded in 2013.
The tender cost of the work was Rs 14.24 crore but additional works amounting to Rs 114.83 crore was carried out at Narela and Dhirpur, without any sanctions, they said.

The original project cost of Rs 14.24 crore was escalated to Rs 28.36 crore and the same was further deviated with additional work at a different location altogether. This resulted in overall payment of Rs 142.08 crore to the agency. This gross irregularity was pointed out by the CAG in its report in 2016, officials said.

They said the LG opined that this additional work should have been done through fresh tenders that would have not only saved crores in terms of competitive bidding but also ensured better quality.

"All laid down norms were violated to benefit the contractor in lieu of probable commissions," officials said.

They added that the execution of the additional work in question was approved by the then Chief Engineer (North Zone) on the day of his retirement i.E. October 31, 2014.

The then member (engineering) DDA had "granted in-principle approval" for carrying out additional work amounting for Rs 114. 83 crore, even as awarding any additional work required calling fresh tender, officials said. They said the LG expressed "serious displeasure" and issued the order of FIR against erring officials.

Officials quoted an LG order which said, "I am of the considered view that the entire sequence of events amounts to criminal breach of trust and the angle of corruption cannot be ruled out. Hence, it is directed to register FIR in this case against all concerned officials. A report to be submitted for my perusal within 15 days."

The LG also said a fool proof system should be put in place for effective supervision and internal audit mechanism to ensure that such incidents do not reoccur in future.