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The World Bank has barred an Indian firm from participating in its projects for indulging in fraudulent activities, taking the total number of banned India-based entities to 13.
The latest Indian entity to face debarment is Puducherry-based KRG Associates as it was found to have provided “forged” certificates with respect to a tsunami reconstruction project funded by the World Bank. Such acts are sanctionable under the global lender's fraud and corruption policy.
Currently, as many as 13 Indian entities, including individuals, are barred from participating in any Bank-financed projects and debarment of some are ending this year, according to the latest World Bank data.
KRG Associates has been banned for a period three years, starting from February 10, 2015, for submitting forged documents while bidding for World Bank-financed contracts.
“... the respondent engaged in a fraudulent practice by submitting two bids for Bank-financed works contracts that each contained two forged completion certificates,” according to the “specific accusation” made by the Bank’s Integrity Vice-Presidency (INT).
INT is responsible for the investigation of internal and external allegations of misconduct and fraud.
While KRG Associates is the first firm from India to be debarred by the Bank this year, three Indian entities were slapped a ban in 2014.
In the case of KRG Associates, no response was submitted by it within the specified period to the notice send by the World Bank.
“INT's accusation in the SAE (statements of accusations and evidence) and the sanction recommended by the SDO (suspension and debarment officer) in the notice are deemed uncontested...,” the lender said in a communication dated February 10.
The restrictions are imposed after an extensive process, that also provides an opportunity for the concerned entities to respond to the allegations, in accordance with Sanctions Procedures of the World Bank Group Sanctions Board.
Among the 13 entities, two — GAP International and one Surendra Singh — have been barred permanently by the World Bank.
