Computer scam in tech education,house of a PD office searched in J

Srinagar, Dec 23 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation (VO) has unearthed a computer scam in the State Technical Education Department (STED) and also conducted searches in two houses of an officer of Public Distribution department.

A VO spokesman said that the organisation has registered a case against officials of the STED for purchasing hundreds of computers on highly exorbitant rates from a private firm.

He said the officials comprising the State Level Purchase Committee (SLPC), of the STED had purchased 409 computers from a Jammu-based private firm, AGM Sales Corporation, on highly exorbitant rates of Rs 43,000 per system as against the prevalent market rate of Rs 33,900, thereby causing a loss of Rs 38 lakh to the state exchequer.

He said during verification, it was revealed that under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan, the department purchased 409 computer systems, required for various ITIs.

The spokesman said the officials hatched a conspiracy with the proprietors of AGM Sales Corporation and effected purchases of 409 computer systems in violation of financial rules and to the detriment of the public exchequer.

The accused officials, with ulterior motives, dishonestly and willfully did not specify the configuration and the quantity of the computers with an aim to prevent healthy competition and to confer undue benefit upon themselves and the supplier,'' he said, adding that verification further revealed that the accused avoided ascertaining the rates and purchasing computers on DGS and D rates available for commercial use with a warranty of three years and instead bought systems of home series with just one year warranty.

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