3 SMC engineers booked for abuse of power

SURAT: In a first of its kind case in Gujarat, the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) sleuths on Saturday booked three engineers of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) for alleged abuse of power when tenders for various contracts were issued. Three separate offences were registered at the ACB police station in Surat after an inquiry that lasted for over a year. A written application was received by ACB from a contractor in 2017 based on which the inquiry was initiated.
The ACB sleuths have started a search operation at the residences of the accused and they will be booked if found in possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of their income, ACB sources said. Out of the three accused, the junior most engineer was arrested, while the other two are on the run.
Executive engineer Mansang Narsang Chaudhary, deputy engineer Nilesh Ramchandra Ramavat and assistant engineer Nilesh Ripu Patel were booked for misuse of power. The three figure in one complaint, while in the other two plaints only Chaudhary is the accused. Police inspector, ACB, C K Patel conducted the investigation on receiving an application from an electrical work contractor Gopal Lambha. Police inspector, ACB, N P Gohil registered three complaints based on evidences collected during the course of investigation.
Nilesh Patel was arrested from his residence, the ACB sources said. “The other two accused are on the run. They will be nabbed too. There is a strong case of abuse of power against the officers. The ACB has submitted reports for departmental inquiry by SMC. The abuse of power by the accused benefited two contractors in two cases and in one, SMC suffered loss,” Gohil said.
The accused abused their powers to ensure that the applicant did not get tender despite his firm being a qualified contractor, the ACB officials said. The accused called for re-tendering when the applicant was eligible for award of contract in three different contracts that were awarded.
“It is first of its kind case registered by the ACB against three government officers. The ACB is conducting searches at the residences of the accused and will register a disproportionate assets case if we find a strong evidence,” assistant director, ACB, R S Patel said.
by via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India