There are several fraud cases under trial in the courts against Garg Construction Company at Jind allotted 52 important developmental construction projects in the state in Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Rewari and other districts. Most of these projects are presently lying incomplete causing inconvenience to people in the state as well as state government for delay in completion of these projects, most of these were announced by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter himself on which huge investment has already been spent by the government. Recently, State Vigilance Bureau team at Karnal arrested the owner of construction company Shashank Garg along with six Hafed and PWD officers, employees allegedly involved in corrupt practices and released payment worth crores of rupees to the contraction company on the basis of fake bill without getting the material.
Now question has been raised under what conditions PWD officers allotted such a large number of 52 construction tenders in favor of a single contractor in the state and they were kind enough on the construction company to release payments worth crores of rupees on the basis of fake bills without inspection of goods as well as work done by the contractor. In view of embezzlements detected by the State Vigilance Bureau large number of cases are presently under trial in courts including in Punjab and Haryana High Court in which PWD officers at Ambala released amount worth Rs 36 crore to Construction Company towards cost of 20000 quintal steel on the basis of fake bills during construction of International level football stadium at Ambala Cantt which was never received as such three PWD officers Nishant Kumar then Executive Engineer, Puneet Mittal SDO and Rajesh Tanwar Junior Engineer were also suspended and now after the arrest of six PWD and Hafed officers along with the contractor Shashant Garg at Kurukshetra are likely to face similar action by State Vigilance Bureau now looking at their godfathers for their rescue.
Information reveals, PWD had also registered a case against construction company for recovery of amount worth Rs 36 crore in order to save themselves.
Meanwhile Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter in a meeting held at Chandigarh a couple of days ago in which Chief Secretary, DGP and senior police bureaucrats in Haryana state were present announced to change the name of State Vigilance Bureau as State Anti-corruption Bureau direct under his control. Chief Minister warned that corrupt practices by the officers will not be tolerated at any cost in future. He appreciated the role of State Vigilance Bureau for arresting corrupt officers at Kurukshetra and disclosed that decision as regard revision of a tender cost will be taken by a committee comprising team of officers led by Chief Secretary, Engineer-in-chief or by himself according to the value of tender in future.
