Jharkhand CM Hemant gives nod to prosecute four government engineers

CM’s zero tolerance policy against corruption

Ranchi, December 24: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren continuing with zero tolerance against corruption has given sanction for filing of FIR against three engineers for misuse of official position, criminal conspiracy and fraudulent tax embezzlement.

On Friday too, the chief minister had given sanction for prosecution against an assistant engineer of the government department.

In a communique issued by chief minister’s secretariat on Saturday it was informed that the sanction for prosecution was given on the basis of an FIR lodged in Ramgarh police station case no.-208/11 against accused Gumani Ravidas, the then executive engineer, Devdarshan Singh, retired executive engineer in-charge, Sunil Kumar, the then assistant engineer under section 406 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. 419/420/467/468/471/34.

Significantly, against the estimated amount of Rs 80, 77,160 for the construction of women ITI in Ramgarh district, Rs 50,00,000 was paid to the FIR accused for construction. During the scrutiny of the scheme, deficiency was found in the quality and measurement of the work. As a result, the technical investigation of the scheme was done by the Assistant Engineer and them. During the course of investigation, substantial financial irregularities were found. Against the total amount received of Rs 50,00,000, the maximum assessment was found to be Rs 34,00,000, while the entire amount was shown to have been spent against the work. In the execution of this work, about Rs 15,00,000 is reflected in the embezzlement by the accused in the above FIR. Similarly, the estimated amount for the construction of Men’s ITI Ramgarh was Rs.3,35,39,453, against which a total of Rs.3,15,39,453 was paid for the construction. The said work was done by junior engineers Madhav Prasad Singh, Harihar Chaudhary and Vasudev Prasad and was recorded in the measurement book. During the investigation of this plan, a difference was found between the works done and the measurement recorded in the measurement book.

Thus, in the FIR mentioned above, the accused has been accused of misuse of official position, criminal conspiracy, cheating and embezzlement of government funds by systematically committing financial irregularities in violation of procedures.

Significantly, on Friday, Hemant Soren had given sanction order for prosecution against Assistant Engineer accused of financial irregularities by misusing the post, criminal conspiracy and cheating.

The chief minister had given prosecution approval order against Suresh Ram, the accused assistant engineer in a case lodged in Chandil police station of case number-47/2019 under Seraikela-Kharsawan district, the then rehabilitation officer, rehabilitation office number-02 Golden Line Project Chandil who is currently assistant engineer special division, Gumla.

In this case, in addition to the assistant engineer, Yudpati Gop, the then up-mukhiya (deputy village head), Meseda, Police Station-Ichagarh and the primary accused Viren Pramanik, the then measurer Maisada Panchayat, Rehabilitation Office Sankh Subarnarekha Project Chandil, the then Rehabilitation Officer Suresh Ram, Rehabilitation Office No.-02 and Sarthi Gope were found to be involved in the embezzlement.

Significantly, during the period of year 2013-2015, the rehabilitation grant given by the Government to the oustees in Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project by Yadupati Gope Government funds have been embezzled by forgery, forgery and tampering with government documents under a conspiracy in the payment of money. Thus, in the FIR mentioned above, the accused has been accused of misuse of official position, criminal conspiracy, cheating and embezzlement of government funds by systematically committing financial irregularities in violation of procedures.