THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Jamshedpur, Dec 6: Probe into the Rs 30 crores attempted scam in the Jharkhand Bijli Vitaran Nigam Ltd’s (JBVNL) Jamshedpur circle seems to be dawdling even though about a month has lapsed since the alleged scam was unearthed by a social do-gooder.
The matter assumes significance as the abortive scam might have dented the Hemant Soren government’s efforts to keep the popular Maiyyan Sanmaan Yojana afloat.
The alleged scam is related to providing power connection clandestinely to a Chhattisgarh-based company, Jai Radha Mahadev Automobiles Private Limited, located in Adityapur industrial area, despite a case pending pertaining to a due of about Rs 30 crores on a default company Stern Commodity from which the Chhattisgarh-based company had bought the plot.
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Activist Flags Issue; Inquiry Committee Formed
Months after a fresh power connection was given, a local social activist Ajeet Singh had stumbled upon the swindle and immediately informed JBVNL’s Jamshedpur area board general manager.
The area board general manager, Ajeet Kumar, got the power connection at the company concerned after an initial enquiry and had set up a three-member probe committee to find out how such a blunder took place and who are involved in the racket.
Report Submitted, Officials Remain Tight-Lipped
The probe was led by executive engineer (Meter division) J Topno, who submitted his report on Friday evening only to the general manager Ajeet Kumar.
The general manager Ajeet Kumar when approached over the phone by The Jharkhand Story to know about the probe report today, instead quipped, “Kaunsa report” and instantly snapped the call.
It seems that in the clandestine way the Chhattisgarh-based company was given a power connection at a litigant plot of land, the same hush-hush way the matter is being disposed of the abortive scam.
Executive engineer (Meter division) J Topno said that his responsibility was to probe into the scam and submit the report to the general manager.
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“I completed my job and submitted the report to the general manager. Now the general manager is to take necessary action against those involved in all this,” said Topno while talking to The Jharkhand Story.
“SDO (electrical) and a junior engineer are involved in the racket. But the main player in all this is a computer operator. I have not mentioned his name in the probe report, but I have told the general manager about him verbally. The said computer operator is a close relative of Manmohan Singh, who is a senior officer in the JBVNL,” said Topno on being queried by The Jharkhand Story.
Topno wondered whether the computer operator who is not a JBVNL staff and attached to a private agency only, will be taken to task or not, as the whole matter is related to loss of revenue.
It may be mentioned here that the state government has to pay Rs 2,500 to each of the over 1.5 lakhs women under a welfare scheme Maiyyan Sanmaan Yojana, every month.
