Punjab Vigilance Bureau Files Case Against Municipal Officials and Contractor for Road Construction Irregularities

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a case against officials and contractor of Municipal Council (MC) Budhlada in Mansa district for committing irregularities in connivance with each other in the construction of a road and causing a financial loss of lakhs of rupees to the government.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the state VB said on the basis of investigations a criminal case has been registered against accused Inderjit Singh, Assistant Municipal Engineer (AME), Rakesh Kumar Junior Engineer (JE) of MC Budhlada and Contractor Rakesh Kumar, owner of Adarsh Cooperative L&C Society, Jhunir.

He informed that during the enquiry it was found that the officials/employees of MC Budhlada in connivance with the contractor had committed irregularities the construction work of a cement concrete road up to Kulana Road in Budhlada town. Moreover, Inderjit Singh, AME and Rakesh Kumar J.E. didn't conduct the mandatory physical checking of the road and neither completed the entries in the official measurement book (M.B.)

He further added that during the checking of this road by the technical team of VB, the length of this cement concrete road was found to be 693 feet while in the official MB, it was recorded as 760 feet. Thus, 67 feet of road was entered in MB to make more payments to the contractor. Apart from this, Rs 2 lakh was deposited in the account of the Executive Officer of MC Budhlada by Rakesh Kumar contractor, fearing legal action in this regard which also proved their mutual collusion for committing irregularities.

Based on this inquiry FIR No. 23 dated 08.10.2024 has been registered against all the aforementioned accused under section 13(1) (a) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and under sections 409, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC at VB police station Bathinda range.

The VB has arrested Rakesh Kumar JE of MC Budhlada and Contractor Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Mansa City.

Further investigation into this case was under progress and raids are being conducted to arrest the accused Inderjit Singh, AME, he added.