JAMMU: In the much publicized case of alleged Double Drawl of Petroleum and Oil (POL) and misuse of government vehicles by the Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and his personal staff, Justice Virender Singh of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Thursday sought records of the trial court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu.
Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu had granted four months time to the State Vigilance Organization to conclude the inquiry into the petitioners complaint regarding the double drawl of POL.
Senior Superintendent of Police Vigilance Organization Jammu also filed the status report regarding the progress of the inquiry in terms of the directions issued by the State High Court on the last date of hearing. The Court further directed the Registry of the Court to list this petition in the week commencing August 19, 2013.
Justice Virender Singh passed these directions after hearing Advocate Shiekh Shakil Ahmed appearing for the petitioner Prof S.K.Bhalla and Zainab Shams Watali and Deputy Advocate General appearing for the SVO.
In the status report filed by SVO Jammu startling revelations have been made and it is submitted that during the period 2009 to 2012, nine vehicles of State Motor Garages (SMG) remained attached with the Deputy Chief Minister and his personal staff. Besides this, as reported by SSP Security Jammu, 9 vehicles of security wing remained allotted to Deputy Chief Minister and his personal staff, namely, A.R.Salmani (KAS) additional secretary to Dy CM, Raj Kumar Thapa (KAS) Special Assistant to Dy CM, Suraj Rakwal (KAS) Officer On Special Duty with Mr Tara Chand, DySP Sunil Raj incharge Security Officer to DyCM, Prabu Singh and Kewal Sharma PROs to Dy CM.
According to the status report, vehicle number JK02AM-8445 (Tata Safari) stands allotted to Tara Chand by SMG on September 15, 2009 and 6489 liters of POL is issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD) till November 2012 in favour of the said vehicle. Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has also issued 865 of POL to the said vehicle.
Vehicle number JK02AE-7477 (Tata Safari) allotted to DyCM in the month of January 2009 and as reported by Additional Secretary to Tara Chand during the period from January 2009 to November 2012, H&UDD issued 12,242 liters of POL to the said vehicle. The verification conducted by SVO has revealed that beside above fuel issued by H&UDD, JMC during the period from March 2010 to July 2012 had also issued 685 liters of fuel in favour of the said vehicle.
Interestingly, in the status report filed by SSP, VOJ, it has been revealed that vehicle number JK02AV-3928 (Gypsy) allotted by Security Wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police to Personal Section of Deputy Chief Minister received POL from different departments. The POL to the said vehicle has been issued by LAWDA (1004 liters) and JMC (130 liters) from June 2011 to October 2011. Srinagar Development Authority had also issued fuel to the said vehicle but the quantity has not been provided by them.
The perusal of the log book of the vehicle reveals that during the period June to September 2012, LAWDA had issued 1319 liters, JDA 64 liters, JMC 130 liters, Local Bodies 428 liters, SDA 220 liters, UEED 30 liters, Electric Department 26 liters and 135 liters of POL have been procured on cash payment.
In the status report there is a reference of Maruti Car (800) registered in the name of one Summit Dasgotra son of Jagdesh Dasgotra resident of Mera Mandrian Tehsil Akhnoor. The verification conducted by VOJ reveals that on April 23, 2011, on the written request of OSD to Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Jammu Municipal Corporation issued 40 liters of POL in favour of the said vehicle.
Similar revelations have been highlighted with regard to other vehicles which find mention in the detailed status report filed by SVO on the directions of State High Court. CNS
