Former MPSEB Chairman, senior IAS officer chargesheeted

Jabalpur, June 16 (UNI) A chargesheet has been submitted by Lokayukta police against former Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB) Chairman S K Dasgupta, senior IAS officer Ajita Vajpayee Pandey and four others in connection with purchasing electronic metres at inflated rates.

Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Anil Maheshwari said Ms Pandey, who was then posted as MPSEB financial advisor, is at present on deputation to the Centre.

Other chargesheeted included the then directors Basant Kumar Mehta, PC Mandloi and Mohan Pant and the then chief engineer S P Srivastava.

Investigation into a complaint received in 2003 revealed that out of 5.28 lakh electronic metres, 70,000 metres had been purchased without inviting tenders between 1998 and 2003.

These metres were purchased at a price of Rs 714 per metre instead of market price of Rs 320 per metre causing a loss of Rs 6.43 lakh to the MPSEB.

After preliminary investigation in 2004, a criminal case was registered against Mr Dasgupta, Ms Pandey, Mr Mehta, Mr Mandloi, Mr Pant and Mr Srivastava.

A chargesheet was submitted in this regard on June 14.

Barring Ms Pandey, all other chargesheeted officers have retired.

UNI