Embezzlement in Meter replacement: HC seeks HPSEB’s reply

Demanding to register a criminal case against the culprits and investigate the matter by a special investigation team a petition was moved before Himachal Pradesh high court recently. Division bench of Chief Justice A A Syed and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua issued this order after hearing a public interest litigation filed by Chattar Singh, a resident of Paonta Sahib, District Sirmaur on Wednesday.

Seeking reply by ten days High Court has issued orders to file clarification in the case related to alleged embezzlement in the board funds by the officials of Board for arbitrarily allotment various contractors to private firm. Petitioner alleged that the officials have caused huge loss of revenue to board, awarding installation or replacement work of new meters. Petitioner accused of shortlisting selected contractors who were paid exorbitant charges for the work.

The Petitioner contended before the court that he being a retired Electricity Board employees, is aware of the performance of the top officials of the Board. It has been alleged in the petition that the tenders were allotted on March 12, 2018, to install new meters, the job for replacing one meter was fixed Rs 2360 per meter and 5200 meter were replaced of Phase II and 546 meters of Phase-III. Rupees 1 crore 27 lakh rupees were spent on the work. The same work was allotted 200 times in Sirmaur district as compared to Kinnaur district. Replacement of a meter is charged at rate Rs 212 per meter in Kinnaur compared to same work of Rs 2360 in Sirmaur district. Similarly, for the same work in Solan district, was allotted at Rs 441 per meter which were handed over to different firms. The petitioner also blamed ‘Chief Engineer SN Upreeti, former OSD to former Power Minister Sukh Ram Chaudhary for involving disbursement of huge amount of contract in in Sirmour district to one M/s Kaushal Electricals. Petitioner alleged that similar scams of replacement of faulty meter worth crores of rupees continue in board since 2008 should be probe by SIT so that free and fair inquiry should be conducted against the officers and employees who render huge loss to public exchequer of the board.