TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: A criminal complaint against Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Info Tech Corporation of Goa (ITG) chairman Subhash Faldesai has been filed with the Crime Branch in connection with the Cyberage Scheme for fraudulently violating tender rules to accommodate BJP-backed company thereby causing a financial loss to the exchequer of over Rs 12 crore.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) secretary Sunil Kawthankar in his complaint on Monday has sought filing of FIR against Chief Minister, who was also Minister for Information Technology when tender was floated, and Faldesai within three days failing which the complainant will approach Court.
Complaint has been filed under section 34, 119, 120B, 403, 409, 420 of IPC and Section 13 (1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act. The complainant has stated that government by flouting all the rules and regulations of the tender awarded the contract to a backlisted company at an inflated cost. He pointed that the tender was awarded to one M/s Acer India Pvt Ltd, the company that has been blacklisted by Rajasthan government.
Speaking to media persons, Khawthankar said that Parrikar should step down as chief minister to allow free and fair investigation. Pointing to the tender document of ITG, said that one of the terms of the tender was that a blacklisted manufacturer would not be eligible even if the same has been withdrawn.
“Despite this, the contract was awarded to Acer India Pvt Ltd, who has been asked to supply nearly 40,000 tablets in the first phase. The company charged Rs 9500 per tablet, which is much higher compared to some who submitted bids Rs 7500 per unit. A difference of around Rs 2000,” he said.
Further, the complainant pointed out that ITG revised the product for which the tender was floated from Netbook to Netbook/Tablet so that only five bidders qualify for the tender. “This was done just half hour before the tenders were to be open on July 31, 2013,” he said adding that ITG also violated Central Vigilance Commission guidelines under which tender advertisement has to be inserted in national paper.
