PANJIM: A mole in the government surreptitiously wrote a footnote in the HSRP financial bid after the bid was opened and if the government does not file a criminal case against this mole by March 30, the leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar will do so.
This threat was issued by Parrikar during discussions on his own starred question on the high security registration plate (HSRP) contract during question hour in the Goa Legislative assembly on Thursday.
Parrikar's warning is based on grounds cited by the state government in its showcause notice to the company to terminate the HSRP contract with Shimnit Utsch.
The grounds cited read: "In the financial bid, Form II submitted by the company, a footnote is recorded by hand which reads as under: 'Note: A premium of 48% will be charged on the above prices for replacement for any of the above items."
The grounds note that "this footnote is signed by the representative of the company and is not endorsed by the (tender) committee members. Having reference to clause 2.6 of the bid document, it appears that the footnote was recorded after opening the bid."
Parrikar questioned transport minister Ramkrishna 'Sudin' Dhavalikar about the tentative business that the company would have got from the HSRP contract and Dhavalikar replied that it was about ` 400 crore.
Although the premium in the footnote mentioned 48%, Parrikar said 60% of ` 400 crore amounts to ` 240 crore which the company, Shimnit Utsch, "would have looted from Goan people."
"Still, why you are not filing a criminal complaint? Why are you hesitant to act with 100% conviction? Who is holding your hand back?" Parrikar demanded from Dhavalikar.
Initially, Dhavalikar replied to say that the company has challenged the termination of the order in the high court of Bombay at Goa and that once the high court gives its verdict the government would initiate action against the mole.
Parrikar was persistent. He reiterated that the second copy of the bid document does not have the handwritten footnote indicating that the footnote was written after the bid was opened.
Parrikar also said that one Shah had falsely claimed to be a director of the company when he was not. "There are many conspiracies here. Why are you not filing a criminal case? Who are you protecting?" Parrikar demanded.
The opposition leader then warned that if the government did not file a criminal complaint within 10 days, he would do so backed by additional documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Not convinced by Dhavalikar's promise to take legal opinion on the matter within 10 days, Parrikar cited the case of the power rebate scam in Goa where criminal proceedings are under way but the power department has moved to recover dues of about ` 63 crore. With Dhavalikar asking for 10 days to take legal opinion, Parrikar agreed to wait until March 30 to file a criminal complaint in the matter.
Greatk natok again, he will file the case...after elections he will make both the sanathan agent and the matka agent ministers and withdraw the case....that is what he is good at doing...still rem the case against mauvin, which he tried to withdraw and the HC did not allow him...
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