KL Report
SRINAGAR
Twenty days after the State Vigilance Organization (SVO) Jammu booked one Vinod Koul, Project Manager Export Oriented Handloom Development Project Samba and others regarding irregularities in the auction of iron scrap, the erring officer continues to receive the patronage of Handloom Corporation with its managing director saying, “one shouldn’t worry about the case” that caused the state exchequer a loss of Rs 7,23,534.
On July 15 last month, FIR 22/2014 under section 5(1) (D),5(2)(d)PC Act SVT 2006 read with section 120- B RPC were registered against the erring officials including Koul who continues to hold the office much against the norms.
“Ideally,” a source in Handloom Corporation says, “once Challan is filed against anyone, then that person is first suspended from duty and then subsequently arrested. But in case of Koul, neither suspension nor arrest followed. The case is an expose as how Handloom Corporation works.”
Pertinently, the preliminary enquiry into the case had revealed that Koul had called tenders for auctioning of iron scrap which caused a loss of Rs 7,23,534 to the state exchequer.
“Look,” Anal Gupta, MD Handloom Corporation told Kashmir Life, “we will consult law department before taking any action. We are on it. And I don’t think, you need to worry about it.” Reliable sources say, there exists a deep nexus between Gupta and Koul which continues to shield latter’s skin.
After completion of preliminary enquiry, the SVO had registered a case and investigation of the case has been entrusted to Inspector Urfan Parvez of Samba-Kathua Wing.
Commissioner Secretary Industries, Khursheed Ganai wasn’t immediately available for his comments on the issue.
