RIMS dental chair procurement anomalies? CBI investigates, takes officials' statements
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 06 2014: Carrying forward their investigation into the alleged irregularities com-mitted during procurement of 38 dental chairs, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took statements of some RIMS officials.

The CBI launched the investigation against RIMS au- thority after registering a case and obtaining due prosecution sanction.

In 2009, the then Head of Department, Dentistry, RIMS recommended for purchase of 34 dental chairs.

Exceeding the demand, 38 dental chairs were purchased but no supporting documents were found.

The CBI took statements of RIMS officials in order to find out specifications of the procured dental chairs, the Director's sanction power and other details, informed a well placed source.

Even though details of the officials whose statements have been recorded were not divulged, the source informed that CBI have taken statements of RIMS Purchase Ad- visory Board (PAB) members as well as officials rela- ted and involved in purchasing the dental chairs.

There is a strong suspicion that the 38 dental chairs were supplied by a firm which got qualified in the tender process after buying them from another firm which did not qualify in the same tender process.

As such, the CBI is likely to examine this area too.

The dental chairs cost Rs 1.5 lakh per piece but the 38 dental chairs were purchased at the inflated rate of Rs 3.75 lakh per piece, that too without accessories.

Although the RIMS Director is authorised to sanc- tion only Rs one crore in a year for procurement of equipment, more than Rs one crore was sanctioned in two phases when the 38 dental chairs were purchased.

Meanwhile, the CBI has taken statements of concerned officials with regard to keeping a cobalt machine in dis- use at RIMS Radiotherapy Department after it was purchased in 2009 .

As only one cobalt machine is functional in RIMS Radiotherapy Department, a number cancer patients have been waiting for their turns to undergo cobalt therapy while many others who cannot wait for their turns go outside RIMS.

The CBI took statements of the concerned officials as to why the cobalt machine procured way back in 2009 at the cost of Rs 3 crore was still kept uninstalled while many cancer patients have been made to wait for long periods to undergo cobalt therapy.

As a rule, the amount deposited with the manufactur- ing company should be reimbursed to RIMS after installa- tion of the cobalt machine.

But it is not yet clear whether the security deposit has been reimbursed or not.

The CBI put the same question to RIMS officials while taking their statements.

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