Punjab Newsline
Power Engineers demand reopening of embezzlement case of one crore in DVC
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Saturday, 04 April 2009
CHANDIGARH: All India Power Engineers Federation demands the reopening of embezzlement case of Rs. 1 crore in Damodar Valley Corporation which was closed by Ministry of Power.

Padamjit Singh Chairman AIPEF in a press note welcomes the action taken by CBI in raiding the DVC towers on April 1 and seizure of documents. CBI interrogated three senior officials of DVC in connection with the embezzlement case on Wednesday. He further said that AIPEF demands that action be taken as per law against the event management company CMG which took the money in March 2007, and that Govt. of west Bengal and DVC should blacklist this company.

The Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) Engineers’ Association had made a complaint Central Vigilance Commission in Dec 2007 against the sanction order and release of Rs 1 crore by DVC to CMG Kolkata on 9-3-2007 as bronze sponsorship of 33rd national Games which had already concluded at Guwahati on 18-2-2007. .

The National Games was held in Guwahati between 9 and 18 February, 2007. The DVC had decided to give Rs 1 crore to the National Games authorities. The DVC authorities issued an ICICI bank cheque (no 049440) in March 2007. But the cheque was not sent through registered post. It is alleged that the cheque was handed over to the executive director of an event management group.
AIPEF repeats that the fact of issuing a sanction order on March 9 2007 along with issuance and delivery of cheque on same day could not be possible without powerful forces at high level were at work behind the scene.

Documents obtained under RTI Act 2005 by AIPEF established that the Rs 1 crore paid by DVC to CMG had been embezzled and never forwarded to National Games Secretariat Guwahati. AIPEF and DVC Engineers’ Federation took up the case with Govt. of Assam and National Games Secretariat Guwahati which in turn contacted DVC and informed that he Rs 1 crore had not been received at Guwahati.

CMG Kolkata returned Rs 1 crore to DVC through bankers Cheque on February 3 this year. Whereas payment had been made by DVC on March 9 2007

AIPEF through several communications to CM West Bengal had demanded action to taken on case of embezzlement and FIR be registered as CMG and DVC both are Kolkata based. AIPEF had apprised Commissioner of Police Kolkata and asked for registration of FIR. The level and extent of conspiracy and connivance within DVC and Ministry of Power is yet to be established. AIPEF demands that the CBI enquiry to identify and take action against those with whose connivance the plunder of Rs 1 CR public money was facilitated and executed.

AIPEF has taken up this case with comptroller and Auditor General of India and represented to the present DVC members from West Bengal and Jharkand to include this case in next Board meeting of DVC or to convene a special meeting of DVC Board.

While the present chairman DVC is holding dual charge of Addl. Secy. Power GOI, the present CVO of DVC is also holding charge of CVO National Thermal Power Corporation. With two key functionaries of DVC posted in Delhi on dual charge basis and unable to intervene on full time basis AIPEF has appealed to the DVC Board Members from West Bengal and Jharkand to actively intervene on this embezzlement case.

AIPEF demands that a full time Chairman and CVO of DVC be appointed by Govt. of India so that this embezzlement case and be effectively handled and followed up from Kolkata.