Team Herald
PANJIM: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) will summon former Public Works department Minister Churchill Alemao in the water tanks case. ACB has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Alemao and PWD officials in connection with illegalities in the purchase of water tanks.
“The FIR is filed based on the preliminary inquiry which commenced in January 2016 based on sourced information. The PE has pointed out illegality in purchasing the water tanks. The investigation will have to be conducted establishing whether Churchill Alemao had any role to play,” Superintendent of Police Vimal Anand Gupta told reporters.
He said the procedure of purchasing the tanks is faulty and the procurement is over and above the market price. “Preferential treatment was given at the time of distribution. The distribution of the tanks was not for needy people and it has been done without proper policy of distribution” Gupta said.
He said that the purchase of 6511 water tanks has been done without a cabinet decision and overruling the government. He said there is loss of Rs 1.45 crore to the State exchequer which has been established by the technical wing of Vigilance Department.
The FIR which was registered on June 20, has named Alemao and officials including Principal Chief Engineer of PWD, Superintending Engineer, Chief Engineer, Executive Engineer, Assistant Engineer and Junior Engineer of Division III, IX and XX.
CAG in its report has also pointed out that the procurement and distribution of tanks happened between 2008 and 2011 even before the policy governing such a purchase was finalized.
Gupta said ACB will summon Alemao after interrogating PWD officials. ACB is also probing why PWD officials purchased the tanks, at rates which were 25-35 percent higher than the estimated cost by the department. Government norms mention that the bid should not exceed five percent of the estimated cost, Gupta said.
Alemao, who was recently arrested in Louis Berger bribery case, was PWD minister in the Digambar Kamat government.
