HC directs ACB to probe chemical scam in KDMC

Mumbai, Aug 18 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today directed the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) to conduct an inquiry into the chemical purchase scam in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and has asked them to file a report within 8 weeks in the Lower Court.

A division bench comprising Justices J N Patel and R S Dalvi were hearing a petition challenging the Kalyan Court order for filing a case against the officials of KDMC involved in the chemical purchase scam going on since 1995 to 2001 and gave the directions today.

Advocate Nandkishore Joshi, a Corporator of KDMC, filed a complaint in 2002 with the ACB alleging that the chemicals KDMC purchases for purifying water, was being done fraudulently by conspiring with the suppliers while granting contracts.

He also alleged that the rates of the supplies were charged at almost 300 percent more than their price and had amounted to excess of about Rs 45 lakhs. He also submitted then that the scam involved four Commissioners -- G T Bandri, Shrikant Singh, Prithviraj Bias and T Chandrashekhar -- along with four executive engineers and others.

However, the ACB closed the inquiry in January 2004 based on the Chief Auditors report following which the petitioner moved the Kalyan Court.

The Kalyan Court, in September 2005, passed an order directing the petitioner to file a case against the officials involved.

However, the respondents including the fraudulent Ravi Raj Chemicals that was awarded the contract and A Meshram and C Pendse (exec engineers) challenged the September order in the High Court.

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