PANJIM: Congress enlarged the ambit of those involved in the alleged scam of electrical fixtures of Atal Setu stating that the Chairman and the Managing Director of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) were equally responsible along with the Vice-Chairman.
Coming out with the documental proof of the alleged corruption in the electrical fixtures including the poles, lights and the facade lights, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar alleged that GSIDC to facilitate the corruption even altered the original contract.
Stating that it was a clear case of corruption, Girish said that the Congress would file a complaint with the Lokayukta against the officials of GSIDC including the Chairman Deepak Pauskar, Vice-Chairman Sidharth Kuncalienker and Managing Director Srinet Kotwale.
“As per the original contract, GSIDC was to purchase the electrical fixtures and hand over to L&T and L&T was supposed to only fix them. But the contract was changed without even having the authority to do so and L&T was made to purchase the fixture from a front company”, he added.
He further informed that NERI Lighting India Pvt Ltd, the company which supplied the fixtures was not in GSIDC list of companies.
“Instead of tendering the purchase of the fixtures, GSIDC put up a front company and purchased the material to show the purchases and submit bills as per their needs. While the estimates were prepared for Rs 45 crore, the actual bills have been less than Rs 7 crore”, he alleged.
He informed that Fluid and Power Automation LLP was the front company which purchased the material and handed over to L&T.
He said, “We now have evidence in the form of documents and through GST we now know that there have been 17 transactions with a total amount of not more than Rs 7 cr for the said material.”
He said, “The vice chairman is on record trying to defend the allegations. As far as we know all powers were exercised by the vice chairman. However, the chairman who is now a minister is equally responsible.”
