OC summoned
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 17 2015: The High Court of Manipur has issued a show cause notice to OC of Lamphel police station on why he could not file an FIR against the officials of FCI and transport contractor, who had allegedly siphoned off over Rs 5 crore in transporting rice from Jagiroad to FCI godown, Sangaiprou (Imphal) .

The Court also asked the OC to appear before the Court in person on April 9 .

Speaking to reporters, Transporters and Drivers Council president H Ranjit said that the Council requested Lamphel police station through a written application to register an FIR case regarding the matter.

However, as the police station refused to do so, the matter had been put before the High Court of Manipur, which summoned the OC of the police station to appear before the Court on April 9, H Ranjit said.

He further said that FCI Regional Office, Assam issued a tender notice for transportation of rice from Jagiroad to Imphal on May 14 last year.

GB Chowdhury Holding Pvt Ltd, Guwahati was chosen for the said work after they offered lowest bidding, Ranjit added.

Although, the format of rate quotation issued by FCI is not permissible to change, the transport contractor, FCI Assam Region general manager Bhaskar Hazarika and then director of Guwahati Zonal, Pinuel Basumatary allegedly carried out a plan to alter the road distance from Jagiroad to Imphal, he added.

Ranjit said that they omitted the actual distance from Jagiroad to Imphal in relevant papers so that they may siphon off the additional amount.

However, it has come to the notice of the Council after one T Jibankumar filed an RTI application regarding the matter that the distance between Jhagiroad and Sangaiprou (Imphal) is 631 km and the rate for transporting rice is Rs 5,999 per trip with each trip weighing 15-tonne.As per the details acquired by Jibankumar, transportation of rice would be carried out on NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) and NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) and the distance from Jagiroad to Imphal is mentioned as 631 km.

However, it is understood through an enquiry to Jiribam police station that no FCI rice was transported on NH-37, H Ranjit said.

Transportation of FCI rice was carried out on NH-2 alone, he said and added that the road distance from Jagiroad to Imphal through NH-2 is 421 km only.

As such, charges for additional distance of 110 km worth crores of rupees have been siphoned off by some officials of FCI and transport contractors, he alleged.

He demanded the authority concerned to initiate a departmental enquiry against these officials.

H Ranjit further said that Transporters and Drivers Council would now take the case forward.

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