The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JKEDA) was arrested by the state's vigilance organisation today over alleged irregularities in the purchase of solar home lighting (SHL) systems.
"The vigilance organisation, Kashmir today arrested Shafat Sultan CEO JKEDA in a case of 2015. The accused during the year 2009-10 as CEO JKEDA had indulged in bungling in the procurement of solar home lighting systems," a senior State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) official said.
The investigation carried out so far has shown that the accused had placed a supply order for procurement of 6,872 SHLs from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at "exorbitant" rates despite cheaper options being available, the official alleged.
The probe has also shown that the CEO had placed this order only 5 days before the period of rate contract was ending and also the quotations for new rate contract had already been opened by Directorate General of Supplies and Disposal (DGS&D) on 29 July, 2009, the official claimed.
These were available on the DGS&D website, in which the unit rate at which SHLs were being offered was much lower, the officer alleged.
"The investigation has thus revealed that the said CEO knowingly and with mala-fide intentions had placed the order with BEL at exorbitant rates thereby causing loss of Rs 1,493 per unit, which when worked out for 6,872 units of SHLs is 1,02,59,896," the official alleged.
Further investigation into the matter is going on and the vigilance organisation is working on the involvement of other accused officers and contractors in the case, he added.
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In an another alleged corruption case, the Vigilance Organisation arrested Shah Skinder Khan, the then enforcement officer Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), from Jammu and is presently posted as deputy superintendent in Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police, the official said.
He said two more cases pertaining to alleged abuse of official position and accumulation of disproportionate assets are also registered in Police Station SVO against the officer.
Investigation of all the three cases against the accused is going on, he added.
