FIR registered in Gosikhurd tender scam case after 15 yrs The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has finally registered a criminal case against seven individuals, including senior officials from the water resources department, contractors, and two companies, nearly 15 years after the alleged irregularities in the Gosikhurd irrigation project tender. The case was formally filed at Bramhapuri police station on Tuesday evening, following a detailed inquiry initiated by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court. The FIR was lodged on the complaint of ACB deputy superintendent of police Anil Jittawar, who highlighted serious discrepancies in the tendering process for earthwork and construction on the D-7 distributary of the right main canal under the Gosikhurd project, which falls under the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). The tender, undertaken during 2009-10, originally had an estimated cost of ₹12.63 crore. However, after the tender process, the work was awarded to M/s Sumedha Earthmovers Company and M/s Suvarna Enterprises (Joint Venture), Pune. Following negotiations, the contract was approved at 9.75% higher than the estimated cost, resulting in a final contract value of ₹13.86 crore. The ACB’s investigation revealed that all four experience certificates submitted by the contractors to qualify for the tender were forged. Verification with the concerned offices confirmed that no such certificates had ever been issued, indicating that the contractors had secured eligibility through fabricated documents to deceive the government. The inquiry concluded that the fraudulent certificates were a deliberate attempt to manipulate the tender process and secure the contract at an inflated price.#acb #anil_jittawar #gosikhurd #sumedha_earthmovers_company #suvarna_enterprises
Senior Congress Leader Accuses RTO Officials of Running Extortion Racket in Vidarbha Nagpur: Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday accused the Regional Transport Office (RTO) system in Vidarbha of harboring a well-organized extortion network, claiming that even a senior Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officer is complicit in enabling illegal collections and shielding offenders. Speaking to the media in Nagpur, Wadettiwar alleged that retired deputy RTO officials and those in Akola are part of a system that routinely extracts money from truck operators, vehicle owners, and transporters. He claimed that overloaded vehicles are allowed to operate after payments are funneled through intermediaries. The Congress legislative party leader further stated that an additional SP-rank ACB officer is allegedly protecting the racket by alerting those involved ahead of trap operations. According to Wadettiwar, the officer, who has been posted in the bureau for nearly a decade, receives complaints and passes them on to individuals under scrutiny. He argued that this system undermines enforcement and allows illegal practices to persist unchecked. Wadettiwar questioned a recent trap operation conducted on March 23, calling it "fabricated" and based on a false complaint by a truck driver who had not traveled on the route where the alleged demand was made. He emphasized that refusal to pay results in organized traps, while payment leads to advance alerts and the perpetrators’ escape. The allegations highlight concerns about corruption within the RTO system, which is responsible for regulating road transport and ensuring compliance with safety and licensing standards.#vijay_wadettiwar #vidarbha #rto #anti_corruption_bureau #acb
