The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked the then Regional Officer of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI)-Jammu and others for allegedly awarding a work contract to an ineligible company.
The First Information Report names the then NHAI-Jammu Regional Officer, Hem Raj, and Rakesh Kumar Chaudhary, proprietor of the private company named M/s Rakesh Kumar Chaudhary, besides the company, as accused.
Last year, the CBI had instituted a preliminary enquiry against the company and unknown officials on the allegation that it was awarded the work order of ₹9.34 crore for improvement and routine maintenance of Lakhanpur-Jammu section, including the Jammu Bypass Road in Jammu & Kashmir, in violation of the tender’s terms and conditions.
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The agency found that the NHAI’s Jammu office invited bids through e-tendering for the work. The tender was cancelled and a fresh one was issued in January 2018.
The conditions included that each bidder should have achieved an average annual financial turnover equal to the amount indicated in the notice inviting tender, during the last three years ending March 31 of the previous financial year, certified by a Chartered Accountant. The previous similar works shown as experience should have been satisfactorily completed as a prime contractor during the last seven years.
The tender evaluation committee comprising Mr. Raj, Project Director Ajay Kumar Rajak, Deputy General Manager (Finance) Gopal Dass Sharma and Manager Gulam Qadir examined the bids. As it turned out, certificates of the other four bidders clearly mentioned the experience of work on the National Highway/G.T. Road. However, the accused firm’s certificate was silent about the nature of work, as alleged.
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After the opening of the financial bids, the committee recommended the acceptability of rates of the lowest bidder, M/s Rakesh Kumar Chaudhary, which was 41.25% below the estimated cost of ₹15.90 crore of the tender.
The second lowest bidder, M/s Mohandas V. Rajani, made a representation complaining about alleged discrepancies. His complaint was turned down stating that it was out of context. However, during the initial probe, Mr. Rajak told the agency that the issue had not been discussed in the committee.
M/s Mohandas V. Rajani approached the Delhi High Court, which directed the NHAI to verify the experience certificates submitted by M/s Rajesh Kumar Chaudhary. It is alleged that the then Regional Officer did not take efforts to do the verification properly.