The Hindu : Misappropriation: Farooq, officials face vigilance probe

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Sunday, Jun 08, 2003

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Misappropriation: Farooq, officials face vigilance probe

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR JUNE 7. The Jammu and Kashmir coalition Government led by the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, has started tightening its noose around functionaries of the former government, including the former Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, for their alleged involvement in swindling State money.

The Government, according to top official sources, has asked the State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) to initiate investigations against five senior officials, who served as important members of Dr. Farooq's coterie for misappropriating public money in the name of renovating the Jammu and Kashmir house at Prithiviraj Road in New Delhi.

These include the former State Chief Secretary, Ashok Jaitly, and B.R. Singh, then Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, who was holding charge of the Hospitality and Protocol Department. Sources said Dr. Abdullah had, "in violation of rules and regulations'', allotted the renovation work to a "non-existent'' firm Mansara of Sundar Nagar owned by Rena Rajput Singh.

The Government also awarded the contract for renovation of the official residence of Mr. Ashok Jaitly, which is presently the residence of the Finance Minister, Muzaffar Beig, to the firm.

In addition, the works at the Circuit Houses in Jammu and Srinagar and the residence of Chief Minister were also allotted to the same firm.

The objection to the awarding of the contract is that the firm was not a recognised one and that the estimated charges for the renovation were on the higher side, which officials say were to the tune of around Rs. 3 crores. Only the consultation fee was fixed at Rs. 15 lakhs plus all other "perks''. This, the sources said, had caused the State exchequer a loss to the tune of over Rs. 5 crores. The contract was "gifted'' to the firm at the `behest' of the then Resident Commissioner in Delhi, who according to papers, had sent a note to the Chief Secretary saying that Dr. Abdullah had desired that the work be allotted to this company. The renovation work had drawn flak from various quarters for its extravagance, which included use of imported tiles.

Sources said the Mufti has given his nod to initiate investigations against the officers as also Dr. Farooq by the SVO.

Even though Dr. Farooq does not come under the purview of the SVO, the Government is likely to take the case to the Accountability Commission, which is to be set up soon.

The Act for setting up the Commission was passed by the Assembly in February last making the Chief Minister and Ministers liable for public scrutiny. Mr. Sayeed today told the Assembly that no corrupt official would be allowed to go scot-free.

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