Four Public Works Department engineers have been booked under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act on charges of misappropriation of funds in buying medical equipment for the super speciality block of Government Rajaji Hospital here.
The case was registered against PWD engineers of Building Construction and Maintenance Circe, Medical Works - former Superintending Engineer V. Mathialagan; former Executive Engineer G. Kasipandian; Assistant Executive Engineer P. Selvarajan; Assistant Engineer V. Meena; her brother Ramu; and contractor P.M. Ahamed.
According to Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption sources, the case was registered on March 4 after a preliminary enquiry in December 2017 following a complaint from contractor R. Nirmal Kumar of Tirunagar in Madurai.
The Tamil Nadu government had sanctioned ₹2.24 crore for the super speciality block constructed under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. The Chief Engineer (Buildings) forwarded the detailed estimate for the project prepared by the EE and others for technical sanction. The CE had held the SE responsible for the veracity of the rate and provisions made for non-standard items and directed him to follow code provisions and established guidelines.
When five bidders took part in a tender-cum-auction held in September 20, 2017, SE Mathialagan awarded the contract to Ahamed, the lowest bidder (₹1.93 crore). However, a Super Check Team comprising SE PWD Buildings (C and M) Circle, Tiruchi, and Dean, Government Medical College, Theni, which ascertained the quality of work and deviation of rates submitted a report that the rate approved was higher than the prevailing market rate
“Moreover, the contractor did not have adequate experience to carry out the work. The experience certificate, dated October 10, 2014, he had submitted along with the tender document was false and was produced by Meena’s brother Ramu,” the DVAC source said.
Though technical sanction was for the entire work for ₹2.24 crore, the four PWD Engineers had split the work by excluding two works - provision for standby compressed air system and cylinders valued at ₹9.50 lakh and provision for bacetrial filter MS tank and MS tray carrier for gas pipeline valued at ₹6 lakh.
However, the excluded work was allowed to be carried out by the same contractor without any work order.
The DVAC probe revealed that the materials for the medical gas supply system were purchased before the date of agreement signed for the contract. “This revealed that the all four engineers had taken a decision well in advance to get pecuniary advantage for themselves by deciding the bidder and allowing Ramu to purchase materials beforehand,” the source added.
Other four bidders who took part in the process were all closely associated with Ramu and were not reputed dealers, the probe revealed.