PIL seeks probe against Pankaja Munde in chikki scam

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court, seeking probe by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) into the Rs206-crore alleged scam of purchase of food stuffs, dishes, mats and books for tribal students. The items were ordered by state Minister for Women and Child Development Pankaja Munde under the Integrated Child Development Services programme.

The PIL, filed by president of Pune-based political outfit 'Desh Bachao Party' Hemant Patil, also prayed that the ACB be directed to probe the scam and, if necessary, file an FIR against the minister and government officers concerned.

The petition alleged that Munde had received a written complaint from Ahmednagar zilla parishad about the chikki provided to tribal students by the government not being of good quality. The complaint alleged that the chikki was found to be contaminated with clay, it said.

The petition further alleged that the ministry had ordered purchase of chikki, mats, books and dishes at a cost of Rs206 crore without inviting tenders, and that all purchases were ordered in a hurried manner, on a single day, February 13, through 24 government resolutions (GR), a record of sorts in the state administration.

The petition quoted finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar saying that purchase of any item having a value of over Rs1 lakh by the government has to be done by inviting tenders.

It alleged that as per rules, any purchase of items above Rs3 lakh has to be done through e- tendering. "The government has also banned purchases through the rate contract system in which material is purchased after negotiations on the rates," it said.

It also claimed that central purchase office commissioner Radhika Rastogi had denied permission in April 2013 to purchase chikki from a Sindhudurg-based NGO, Suryakanta Sahakari Mahila Sanstha.

Rastogi had ordered the department to float a tender as the cost was Rs37 crore, much more than the Rs3 lakh ceiling for a tender. Interestingly, the minister gave the contract to the same NGO for supplying chikki at a cost of Rs80 crore, despite the NGO's manufacturing plant not being known, the petition alleged.

"The hurry in which 24 GRs were issued on the same day to buy the chikki clearly indicates that the minister wanted to go for her favourite contractors," the PIL further alleged.

The PIL is likely to come up for hearing in due course, some time next week, the petitioner's lawyer RN Kachave said.