Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Commissioner of the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) Sanjith Rodrigues has challenged the findings of Goa Lokayukta that recommended disciplinary action against him for dereliction in duty, before the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
Goa Lokayukta P K Misra, in its order on September 17, 2019 recommended disciplinary action against Rodrigues and former commissioner Deepak Desai while observing that both officers failed to avoid loss to the exchequer in the pay-parking scam.
Rodrigues has thus challenged findings and recommendation of Lokayukta in the High Court that has issued notice to all the respondents seeking replies and pleadings on affidavit by next date of hearing.
The case pertains to the pay-parking scam wherein Rodrigues served as CCP commissioner from April 13, 2012 to May 8, 2016 and replaced by Desai thereafter. Complainant Mukundaraj Mudras had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta in 2017, based on which hearings will held followed by recommendation to take disciplinary action against both officers.
CCP had entered into a contract with M/s Straight Deal Services in May 2016 for pay-parking system covering certain areas in the capital. One of the conditions in the contract involved the payment of Rs 5.23 lakh per month as advance cheque by contractor to the CCP.
However, Mudras alleged the contractor paid Rs 6 lakh only till February 2017 and authorities did not take action, though the terms of the agreement had stipulated that the contractor had to deposit license fees in advance every month. The complainant had also alleged that CCP officials failed to act against the contractor for violating the terms of the contract by collecting parking fees on Sundays, on holidays and at night.
