Nagpur: Social worker files contempt case against former Zilla parishad CEO

NAGPUR: A social worker filed a contempt petition against former Zilla Parishad chief executive officer (CEO) for alleged non-compliance of Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court’s orders (September 13, 2017).
While hearing a PIL filed by Mohan Karemore, the HC had directed her to conduct an inquiry into alleged irregularities in procurement of furniture by the ZP.
The HC issued a contempt notice to the respondents, including the CEO, asking her to reply before the next hearing.
Citing audit objections of 2014-15 obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the petitioner claimed that the work was sub-divided and awarded to different contractors, while three offers were procured from the open market from unauthorized suppliers.
The court had then noted that since objections were raised in the audit report, the concerned office bearers of Zilla Parishad were supposed to submit an appropriate reply.
The petitioner had made the state rural development department secretary, public works department (PWD) principal secretary and executive engineer, besides ZP CEO as respondents in the PIL while seeking a through probe into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of furniture.
The petitioner received the report from the respondent’s office after which he came to a conclusion that the respondent hadn’t conducted the inquiry. It was conducted by an executive engineer against whom allegations of misappropriation of funds in purchase of furniture for the ZP’s new building were made.