Another purchase scam unearthed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Oct 20 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation today unearthed another exorbitant purchase scam in the technical education department and registered a case against the purchase committee, an official spokesman said.

He said the case was registered against Director Technical Education, Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Hassan Khan, Rajesh Gupta (FA and CAO Education Department), Yasmeen Hassan Wani, Principal Women Polytechnic Srinagar, Sharad Chander, Principal Boys Polytechnic Jammu, Raiz-ul-Amin, Deputy Director (Central) Technical Education, Raman Kumar Gupta, AO Directorate of Technical Education, all members of the State Level Purchase Committee (SLPC) and a local supplier, Gouse Qadri, Proprietor Kaiser Impex, Srinagar for purchase of 67 sewing machines on highly exorbitant rates thereby causing a loss of Rs 5.1 lakh to the state exchequer.

In 2005, the spokesman said the Directorate of Technical Education purchased 67 sewing machines (Usha Automatic, Janome, Japan) at a highly exorbitant rate of Rs 22,500 instead of Rs 13,150 which was the prevalent market rate at the time of purchase.

The members of the purchase committee had also not verified the credentials of Kasier Impex, he added.

The purchases had caused huge loss to the state exchequer and accrued illegal gains to the supplier for pecuniary benefits.

The Vigilance Organisation has registered a case and started investigations.

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