A financial irregularity of more than Rs 6 crore has come to light in the cash-strapped Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) recently.
In December 2013, executive engineer of the Palike’s road infrastructure division B G Raghavendra Prasad, accounts superintendent K S Padmavathi and first division clerk Mayanna have made payments of Rs 6 crore to a contractor by ignoring serious observations by the BBMP chief engineer about the quality of the road-laying work in three zones of Mahadevapura, Dasarahalli and Byatarayanapura.
Besides, they have also allegedly violated bill payment norms and failed to produce original documents pertaining to the works to senior officials for a probe.
Following the irregularities in the payments, the chief engineer of the road infrastructure division has recommended stringent disciplinary action against the three officers. A copy of the recommendation is available with Deccan Herald.
The works relate to the strengthening, widening and asphalting of roads in the three zones. They were executed in three phases and running bills bearing number 14, 15 and 16 were submitted in June, August and October, respectively.
The payments should have been made according to the seniority list of bill submission but executive engineer Prasad flouted the norm. Bill numbers 14 and 15 were ignored while payments were made for the bill number 16.
The chief engineer’s recommendation says that clerk Mayanna did not produce the file before the accounts superintendent for mandatory approval and directly tabled it before the executive engineer who released the money to the contractor. The file did not even have the approval of another first division clerk, who is responsible for clearing bills.
As per the rules, the money should be released only after the accounts superintendent signs the payment voucher. However, in this case, the accounts superintendent directly deposited the amount into the executive engineer’s account without checking whether the seniority list was followed or her signature was present on the bill payment voucher.
The chief engineer stated that his note about not to release funds in view of many irregularities in the execution of works were also ignored.
Despite several reminders, he said, these officials have failed to submit the files pertaining to the payment of Rs 6.05 crore to him for probe. He fears that the three officials may even tamper with the documents.
Meanwhile, Bangalore Nagara Pragathipara Nagarikara Vedike president S Jagdeesh Gowda, who exposed the alleged scam, has sought action against the three accused.
