GUWAHATI, Oct 14 - Taking cognizance of the alleged anomalies in misuse of public money during procurement of ladies bicycle by the Directorate of Secondary Education, Assam, a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been taken up by the Gauhati High Court based on a complaint.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice (Acting) K Sreedhar Rao and Justice PK Saikia on Tuesday issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Director of Secondary Education, M/s SK Bikes Pvt. Ltd, M/s Seth Industrial Corporation, M/s Hero Ecotech Pvt. Ltd and Vishal Cycle Pvt. Ltd.
The note of the Registrar (Judicial) of the Court reflects that letters were addressed to the Prime Minister of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Director, CBI, CVC and also the Chief Minister of Assam alleging fraud and corruption in the Directorate of Secondary Education, Kahilipara, Assam, in the procurement of ladies bicycles worth Rs 80-90 crore in the year 2014.
A nexus of cycle manufacturing companies with some influential government functionaries has been alleged in the complaint. The complainant has enclosed some documents where some select suppliers have quoted the rate of the same ladies bicycle to the Gujarat Rural Industrial Marketing Limited (GRIMCO) as Rs 2,489.68 per bicycle and within two months the same was quoted as Rs 3,425 per bicycle to Assam and Rs 2,780 per bicycle to the Director of Secondary Education, Rajasthan.
The complainant also stated that the freight difference on each bicycle from Ludhiana to Rajasthan/Gujarat and Ludhiana to Assam is Rs 50.
�Considering and calculating the purchase of 2,00,000 numbers of ladies bicycles by Assam, the freight and price difference shows a huge impact of corruption and in comparison with the supply made to Gujarat, the difference comes to Rs 595 per bicycle and Rs 11,90,00,000 in total,� the complainant had alleged.
