Page 56 - ELT_1st June 2020_VOL 372_Part 5th

A180 EXCISE LAW TIMES [ Vol. 372

his service with the Central Excise and Customs Department as an appraiser and
as Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, the agency said.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifica-
tions to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
[Source : Revenue Transparency Times, January, 2020, New Delhi]
CBI probes irregularities in ` 1.22 crore contract, Goa-based
Customs Officer, Pune’s businessman under scanner
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken under its scanner a
Goa-based Customs Officer and a Pune businessman in connection with its probe
into alleged irregularities in the award of contracts worth ` 1.22 crore for the
renovation of the Customs Department’s Goa office at exorbitant rates. The CBI
is examining allegations that payments were made for the contracts in contraven-
tion of laid-down tendering procedures. The contracts given to four dubious
firms without ascertaining whether the work was complete, agency sources said.
The contracts under the CBI probe are 80 “work orders”, which were
among a batch of 114 such contracts awarded irregularly for renovation work at
the Customs’ Office, Customs House, Goa between 2017 and 2019 to various
firms, sources said.
The contracts were related to works, including purchase of office furni-
ture, electrical and electronic items. Out of the 114 work orders, 80 work orders
to the tune of ` 1.22 crore were allegedly issued to four fictitious firms - Apna
Bazar, Stylo. Manoj Enterprises and Mahalaxmi Trading company - floated by a
Pune-based businessman who is an accused in the case, according to the CBI. The
quotations had been obtained at exorbitant rates and processed without follow-
ing the prescribed guidelines after which the work orders were issued, the CBI
said.
“The CBI is also verifying allegations if payments had been made by a
Customs Officer under the scanner in the probe for the contracts to the four firms
without ensuring completion of the works thereby causing wrongful loss to the
Government and corresponding wrongful gain to the accused”, a CBI source
said. “It was also alleged that split the main work into piecemeal against the laid-
down tender procedures for execution of work and issued the work orders
thereafter to the fictitious firms that had quoted exorbitant rates,” the source
said.
The irregularities came to light during a joint check conducted by the
CBI and the Vigilance Team of the Customs Department, Goa undertaken at the
Customs House on May 21, 2019. An examination of the work order-related rec-
ords during scrutiny revealed the irregularities, sources said.
“Details related to certain bank accounts located in Goa and Pune in
which the payments against the work orders came under the scanner, have been
sought and will be analysed for further action,” the source said. The CBI has
registered a case under sections related to cheating, criminal conspiracy, forgery
for purpose of cheating, using as genuine a forged document or electronic record
under Indian Penal Code and a section under Prevention of Corruption Act for
acceptance/attempt at obtain gratification by a public servant.
[Source : Revenue Transparency Times, January, 2020, New Delhi]
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