Expose`! Expose`! Expose`!
[Pardaphaash! Pardaphaash!
Pardaphaash!]
Expose why? For what? For
whom?
Scam! Scam! Scam!
by Pushpraj
The question is why a Pardaphaash in the crowd of blogs? We are drawing out the curtains, look what’s inside. It’s not about what I think or write, it’s about our country
(Great
Pardaphaash is an easy process of the natural culmination. Main stream journalism did not give this scam a suitable platform, so, do we have any other option left? Indian journalism has brought about many such scams in front of the public and exposed them. To make aware in favor of a weak or in support of strong is brought up in the womb of this journalism. The backbones of journalists like Prabhash Joshi, Kuldip Nayar and Ajit Bhattacharjee are still erect who bothered to write against Indira Gandhi’s government in that situation and were headstrong in bringing out the truth. Why did Kuldip Nayar had to go to jail during emergency, why did Prabhash Joshi keep Jansatta as the only option? We have complete freedom to choose our Icon. Our expectation from this main stream media is that you give this issue your acceptance. If you are interested, you can publish this article after our acceptance. You must pay me for this publication. Journalists who believe in public interest journalism can relate themselves with Pardaphaash. This blog will not be the medium of expressing malicious self preaching. Those people can also link themselves with this collaboration, whose neighbor died due to hunger and the one who had snatched his ration proved his death to be due to snake bite. The next step of Pardaphaash is to catch hold of the secret nerve of the corrupt politicians and rotten government system.
Stigma of a scam on the turban of Manmohan Singh’s Government
Damodar Valley Corporation, involved in the scam of five thousand crore?
The pen, which used to raise the people’s movement, I am writing for the first time in our country against a major corruption in this scam diary. Many braves of this main stream journalism have evidences regarding the scam, but this could not become the news for them.
In developing
In
The facts tell us that the main share holder of this scam is the then Chairman of the DVC Asim kumar Barman, IAS. The information of the irregularities caused in the construction of power houses and other plans from time to time was given to Manmohan Singh and Central Vigilance Commission, but neither any ban was imposed on the loot, nor was any action taken against corruption. On the initiative of the DVC Engineers’ Association, the MP of the Communist Party of India, Bhuwaneshwar Mehta, JD (U) MP & National President Sharad Yadav, RJD MP Alok Mehta and several other MPs wrote letters to the PM, Manmohan Singh and informed him about the scam.
The Central Vigilance Commission wrote a letter to the Ministry of Power informing them that the Raghunathpur Power Project contract was given to M/S Reliance Energy Limited worth 4000 crores, while the others were illegally ignored and the DVC paid Reliance Energy interest free advance of 354.07 crores violating rules of Govt. of India and even, its own stipulations in LOA (Letter of Acceptance) & LOI (Letter of Intent). The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of the Indian government has questioned DVC regarding the interest free advance paid to M/S Reliance Energy. The owner of M/S Reliance Energy, Anil Ambani is an honoured industrialist of the country. Firstly, the question arises - is it right to break the rules and give the contract to M/S Reliance Energy and then paying an interest free advance after changing the conditions of the original tender? Secondly, is Sushil Kumar Shinde still untouched with this, even after stopping the CBI enquiry till date?
Is the PM office still unaware of the scam? Congress MP and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy, Gurudas Kamat wrote a letter to the PM on 3rd October 2008 informing him that A.K Barman, Chairman, DVC had awarded the tender of all the proposed projects in a wrong way on single tender basis ignoring the interests of the government and stressed for a CBI enquiry on the corruption and the irregularity in the distribution of the tender. Why is Manmohan Singh sitting quietly on the proposal of an enquiry?
The Chairman, Parliamentary Standing committee on Energy also gave brief information in his letter to the PM regarding Asim Kumar Barman’s misdeeds on the basis of the reports provided by A.K Jain, President, DVC Engineers’ Association.
Why didn’t Manmohan Singh give the orders for a CBI enquiry, is it because, if the scam is exposed, the progressive face of the progressive alliance government will be exposed and the Congress led Central Government does not have the courage to face it? If you think corruption is an unhealed wound of Indian democracy and then think over it – is exposing of this electricity scandal - the sin of journalism?
Rules kept breaking, scams kept growing
I am showing you the scandal that stained the white turban of our dear government. It will be said to me that why I am staining the white-golden character of our Manmohan government? I am not saying anything which’s surprising. In the context of the scam, I am publicly showing our nation, the letters, which are revolving around the offices of PMO, Central Vigilance Commission and the Ministry of Power since last more than two years. When the DVC management have made several irregularities, then how can you say that it is not a scandal of Rs. 5, 000 crore? I am afraid, it is more and measuring it low. If you check the available documents, you will agree that it is not only about the power supply for the Common Wealth Games and the approval of the Ministry of Power for six power plants by DVC, instead it is about giving contracts to some big companies of the nation and eating up Nation’s wealth for personal interest.
According to the DVC Act of 1948, passed by the Parliament of India, DVC was established in Bihar (unpartitioned) and west
DVC Engineers’ Association and All India Power Engineers Federation have already pointed out that the proposed thermal power plant at Bokaro Thermal will not be able to produce electricity at any cost. According to pollution control act, a power house should be located 500 mts away from railway line and 7 kms away from a river but the Bokaro power plant will be situated near
DVC gave the contract of Koderma thermal power plant to BHEL worth 2606 crore 79 lacs on single tender basis. Without the availability of Land, more money was distributed than the target of the plan. When the acquisition of the land is in dispute then advance payment and everything is in the violation of the code of conduct. Breaking all the legal barriers, the tender of the Chandrapura thermal power plant project worth Rs. 2, 300 crore was given to BHE on single tender basis. When you have given the contract to BHEL in a wrong way, you can expect them to follow all the rules and regulations. BHEL has made NBCC its partner in the Chandrapura construction work, who has been remarked for a dismal performance by DVC. Being earmarked for a disappointing performance means it is to be black-listed. Black-listed companies are not entitled to receive any work. DVC Chairman, Asim Kumar Barman did not include NBCC in the white- listed companies on his own, but you should observe how fast the storm of difference between black and white was flowing in the scam. There is a scandal going on in the tender of the Proposed Mejia power plant B and
The Indian government passed the project of 6 power houses for the 2010 Common Wealth Games to the DVC, but where from will the 25 thousand crore rupees come for these projects? This game will be the pride of our country and to maintain this pride, DVC can take loan. To increase the country’s pride many big banks and financial institutions have accepted the application for loans. PFC (Power Finance Corporation), REC (Rural Electrification Corporation) and the consortium of PSU Banks have given DVC 70% of the total project money which is almost about 16 thousand and 350 crore rupees. According to the norms, the organization has to provide 30% of the total capital. The actual savings with the DVC at the time of the project approval was nearly not more than 2000 crore rupees. DVC requires more capital for the completion of all the proposed projects. For obtaining full loan, GOI’s full might and pressure would be required; else the proposed projects would remain uncompleted, which may not be surprising. The controversial Chairman of the DVC Asim Kumar Barman did many things for the achievement of the credit due to which the management had to bear heavy losses. The outstanding late payment of the electricity bills by the different consumers is called DPS (Delay payment surcharge). Barman showed this 2% DPS as the income of DVC and later paid the income tax of more than 500 crore on this inflated income. DVC did not receive the outstanding payment. He used the income tax revenue by showing it as the income of DVC and used it in receiving the loan. What a dramatic ploy to sink the venture by showing DVC in inflated profit.
Our country is already burdened with 3 lacs crore debt. If we want the 2010 Common Wealth Games to be held in the capital, DVC will have to construct 6 power houses, but for every project they will have to take a huge loan. This will be a domestic debt and not foreign, but who will pay this debt? The future of these projects is already in darkness. In the republic of 110 million citizens, every citizen will have to bear only 225 rupees for the debt of the Projects proposed by DVC. If you search your part in the estimated scandal of about 5 thousand crore, every citizen will have to pay about 45 rupees. We take loans and use them in scandals. The stories of the deciduous feudal families are spread all over
In old days when the dacoits used to come, they used to throw pieces of meat in front of the dogs to calm them. The celebration which took place in the pretext of 60 years, the Chairman gifted 8 gms gold to each and every 11000 employees of the DVC and also gifted them box of sweets twice throughout the year of celebration. DVC management did not give any information under RTI Act to the DVC Engineers’ Association regarding the total expenditure on sweets, gold and on the event celebrated throughout the year. How long will be the miracle of development through the approved projects undertaken purely on debt can sustain? For the sake of flood control, Damodar Valley Corporation was established on the alluvial of
When the river of scandals in DVC became speedy, the CBI definitely got the information. The Central Vigilance Commission requested the ministry of power for a CBI enquiry. When the union minister and the chairman became friends, whatever the Central Vigilance Commission said was not necessary to be heard. Probably with the involvement of Sushil Kumar Shinde, there was an increase in dissatisfaction in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy. This is why the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, Gurudas kamat wrote a letter on 3rd October, 2008 to Manmohan Singh and not Sushil Kumar Shinde, requesting him for a CBI enquiry on the contracts issued and the total expenditure during the tenure of Asim Kumar Barman. Kamat, the Chairman of the Standing Committee suggested for not giving extension of service to the accused Chairman AK Barman. The question is, when the Standing Committee had proved AK Barman as a corrupt Chairman, why did Sushil Kumar Shinde wrote a letter to Manmohan Singh and requested for extension of service of a corrupt Chairman? Sushil Kumar Shinde wrote a letter to Manmohan Singh on 22nd April, 2008- “DVC has developed a lot in Barman’s tenure. The expectation of power supply during Common Wealth Games from DVC can be fulfilled in the leadership and direction of AK Barman.” Under the Right to Information Act, 2005 the ministry accepted the information available and furnished the same to Gurnek singh Brar.-‘CBI had sent an application to the ministry on 6th May, 2008 to seek permission for a preliminary enquiry (PE) against the Chairman Barman. In the interest of the organization, the ministry cannot publish it. In the preliminary investigation of Central Vigilance Commission, CBI and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy found prima facie Asim Kumar Barman guilty. After knowing the disputed service detail of Shri Barman, the proposal of the Ministry of Power for reappointment of Barman was dropped. Then why did Sushil Kumar Shinde stop CBI from investigating against the corruption of Barman? The President, DVC Engineers Association AK Jain and the Chairman, All India Power Engineers Federation Padmajit Singh shoot out letters from time to time which included the evidences against the corruption going on in DVC. Why didn’t the PM’s office give any response to the recognized national organization of the prestigious Power Engineers? The role of the PM’s office in the defense of the accused Chairman, DVC is doubtful. In the context of the corruption going on in DVC, the MPs and the engineers wrote letters to the Prime Minister, even then the Prime Minister didn’t give permission to the CBI to proceed in the matter - why? The group of IAS was called the ‘steel frame’. But today because of the misdeeds of IAS like Asim Kumar Barman; this is shifting towards ‘bamboo frame’. It has become like bursted balloon. Whether frozen blood in the arteries of the democracy flow again? If your mouth is not filled with 8gms gold, then say that the frauds, who take debt and scandalize are not to be shown any mercy.
In the European countries, the public servant who keeps alerting the government against corruption is called ‘Whistle blower”. In our country the whistle blower wake up the people who are sleeping but do not publicize themselves. He thinks the loot of the government’s coffers as the loot of his wife’s jewelry gets upset and puts in all his efforts to bring it back. Asim Kumar Barman had donated a handsome amount of 1 crore in the 33rd national games held in Guwahati. President of the Engineers’ Association, AK Jain did see flaws in the charity. DVC had sent the charity amount in March, 2007 whereas, the national games were held in February 2007’.
In January 2008 on the initiative of AK Jain, the MP of the Communist Party of India, Bhuwaneshwar Mehta wrote a letter to the Central Vigilance Commission and the Ministry of Power telling them that in the detriment of charity there is more of personal interest involved in than the sports interest. On the basis of the report of the Chief Vigilance Officer, DVC, the Central Vigilance Commission and the Ministry of Power in context to its investigation closed the case file. It’s obvious that the government of
After the exposure of the matter and with the keen interest taken by Chakravarthy and the Assam Govt., on 4th february2009, Bhaswar Goswami, the Executive Director of an Ad agency CMG (Celebrity Management Group) sent the charity money back to DVC. At the time of returning of 1 crore rupees after 22 months CMG wrote that due to some misunderstanding the charity money could not be given to the sponsor of the 33rd National Games. After 22 months of the return of 1 crore rupees, why did S.L Mitra, Addl. Secretary, DVC write a long letter to the Convener of the National Games explaining the intentions of DVC. Why Rs 1 crore remained with CMG for 22 months? If the DVC management truly wanted to donate money to the national games then how did the donation money reach CMG instead of the Games Secretary and why is DVC defending CMG who wanted to grab all the money .When the government of Assam did not receive the donation, then how did DVC Management was presented thanks giving letters written by A.K Joshi, IAS, the convener of the National Games & the Minister of Sports, Govt. of Assam and the same was sent to the Central Vigilance Commission by CVO, DVC in his report. A fake withdrawal of 1 crore rupees in the name of charity and presentation of evidence in favor of the scams shows the fraud committed by DVC. Under the Right to Information Act, the Convener of the National Games A.K Joshi proved the letter to be forged to the member of the All India Power Engineers’ Federation, Gurnek Singh which was presented by DVC to the Central Vigilance Commission. India’s most prestigious power organization’s management wanted to eat millions of rupees for which it produced a false letter in the name of an IAS officer and then cheated the most important guardian institution, the Central Vigilance Commission with this letter. On 1st April, 2009, the CBI branch of Kolkata seized many important documents after it raided in the secret places of the top officials of CMG and DVC management. In context to the raid, some newspapers of Kolkata printed some news related to it. If CBI has actually headed towards the investigation then why the main accused A.K. Barman hasn’t been arrested till now? Is CBI trying to save the central government from the stain of a scam at the time of elections? Is it that the CBI is neither able to work under the pressure of PM’s Office nor it wants to disclose any matter about the DVC scam in front of the media. It’s the matter to understand on the basis of the evidence with the help of which we are writing the diary of scam is also available with the CBI. If this matter is not exposed through the main stream media before the parliamentary elections, then the CBI will decide its role after seeing the face of the new Central government .By calling the Deputy Chief Engineer A.K Jain, a Whistle Blower, are we celebrating his coronation? DVC management did not even formally thank this ‘Whistle Blower’. The main accused of the scam, A.K Barman is trying his level best to save all the ‘big fishes’ involved in this scam. Has the Director of DVC Achintya Das resigned and ran away somewhere to escape from the trap of CBI? Can the accused of the scams leave
Enemies of the scandals, ’whistle blower’s ‘icon.
Does chewing of gold bring a comfortable sleep? Everyone was practicing to sleep after the celebration, he could not sleep. He believes on all the claims of the media house. The biggies of the media, Journalists who can ‘separate water from milk’, Journalist in the category of “Jhooth bole cowaa kate” (if you lie, crow should bite), all the pens became quite in front of the scams. All the evidences are in front. All the witnesses are present. Every thing is clear. But there is a difficulty-how can we call a white elephant a black one? In the market of profit, will our interests be fulfilled after calling a white gold as black gold? You don’t have a gold piece in your mouth but you have delayed in thinking. Will the journalism work on the result of long term discussion?
IAS Barman remained the Chairman of DVC from 30th march 2006 till 30th November 2008. Sushil Kumar Shinde keenly tried to extend the services of Barman even after his retirement. Till 32 month’s, Barman’s service period was like his golden period. From the ministry till the PM’s office everyone has smelled a piece of gold, so that’s why every thing had to go right. In the golden era who has stopped a gold train from running on the tracks? If you don’t want to have ride on the train, can you stop it from the power of your chest? Can a common man stop the train running with the power of the Prime Minister, Union Minister of power, Reliance Energy? Even he never knew this, the train has stopped, the driver has changed, but the train still wants to run with its full speed. A man standing there thinks to push back the train to its old wooden tracks. Come and help this stubborn, because if he falls he will come under the train and the train will crush him and move further.
One piece of gold for all the DVC’s general staff, but for the Deputy Chief Engineer, a sac full of gold was already there. The way the President of the DVC Engineers’ Association put his job at stake and stopped the train, is commendable. Now you choose your side - this or that side. Our establishment is in deficit, parties are being celebrated by taking debts, we know, everything is invalid; every thing is against the law. What is our role against the one that’s inexhaustible? The officers responsible for holding a stick of discipline over DVC’s management is the Chief Vigilance Officer, who himself is involved in royal expenditure. The time is very bad but if we have to say something, we will have to knock every door of the democracy. If not heard here, we look there. Perhaps, some door may be open from which we can keep our thoughts in front of the democracy of those citizens who are the borrower of these debts. For 15 consecutive years A.K Jain was the General Secretary of the organization and for three years he is the President of the Engineers’ Association of DVC. For the third time All India Power Engineers Federation selected Jain as the Additional Secretary General. In June 2004, Jain had the first encounter with the management when he put an application against the service extension of Colonel R.N Malhotra. Despite the protests, the then Secretary of DVC, A.K Basu extended the service period of R.N. Malhotra. The Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Power on the appeal of Jain. The Committee gave orders to remove the then Director from his post immediately but the management did not bother to obey the orders of the Committee of the ministry. The Central Vigilance Commission found the Secretary A.K Basu guilty in this matter. The accused Director was not removed from his post; instead A.K Jain who had opened a front against him was charge-sheeted. The charges against A.K Jain were of complaining to the Central Vigilance Commission without seeking permission from the management of organizing a group of Engineers and misinterpreting the image of the management. In the eyes of the management, the image of A.K Jain was more bold and daring. In the charge sheet prepared by the management, more of egoism and personal rivalry could be seen but in the charge-sheet prepared against A.K Jain, each and every term of the charges were framed with malafied intension. Jain tried to expose prevailing corruption in the organization with the help of law of the land and the constitution considering the same as powerful tool. According to the guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission, every public servant had the right to expose the corruption in the institution and the security and privacy guarantee was of the government itself. With the intervention of the Central Vigilance Commission on 9th Sept. 2005, the charge-sheet against A.K Jain was dropped. But A.K Basu who was found guilty by the Central Vigilance commission was appointed as the Chief Secretary in Jharkhand and is still there on the post.
Coal block scam halted.
In Premchand’s “Poos ki Raat”, because of Halku’s small nap,
AK Jain is a powerful officer but he learnt a lesson with Halku’s mistake, spending the night of winter and the days of summer is a difficult task. Cats are cautious to hunt the rats. Jain is a vegetarian and not a carnivore, but poachers’ surveillance has become his habit. When Asim Kumar Barman became the Chairman, loot became more dynamic. DVC was prepared to sell the coal block of Dumka to EMTA (Eastern Mining Trading Agency), proprietary of Chandan Basu and his associates. In 2007, DVC Engineers’ Association started struggling to save the block. The association wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Power, CVC & others and requested them to intervene immediately in the interest of DVC. The matter was referred to the ministry of law of the Indian government and the selling of the coal block to EMTA could not take place after seeing the matter to be controversial. Had the coal block been sold out a big scam of about 6 thousand crore was possible. DVC Engineers’ Association achieved a historic success by stopping the sale of the coal block to a private party.
IPS Rajesh Kumar, a Financial Adviser was removed.
The strength of the Chairman Asim Kumar Barman was never less than the power of Sushil Kumar Shinde. If anyone tried to stop the drifting river of scandals, he made him his personal enemy. An IPS officer Rajesh Kumar was appointed as the Financial Advisor for the tenure of 5 years. But, within seven months of his tenure he was removed from DVC in May, 2007. Rajesh Kumar appealed in CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) and the decision was in his favor. DVC appealed against the decision of CAT to Kolkata High Court. The High Court delivered judgment reinstating Dr Rajesh Kumar in DVC. DVC appealed against the decision of the Kolkata High Court to the Supreme Court and the matter is pending there. It’s an irony that an honest administrator who tried to put a bridle on the financial chaos and to stop his entry in DVC, the organization has suffered a loss of more than one crore and a half of rupees by way of undue legal expenditure.
Life threats, transfer and charge sheets.
By firing out an honest Financial Advisor from his job, the other employees in DVC are terrified that if they do their honestly it will not be good for them. In April, 2008, AK Jain was transferred from Maithon to the DVC HQs in Kolkata without any notice or explanation. On 16th April, 2008 Jain received a call in his official residence on his mobile phone saying –“ami tomaar baap, aeso tumi kolkata, tomaar chamra beriye nebo. Saala, tomaar parivaar samet tomake ek baare merre shesh korey debo” (I am your father, you come to Kolkata, I will take out your skin from your body and shall finish you along with your family”. Jain immediately filed a complaint to the Maithon (Jharkhand) Police and requested the S.P of Dhanbad for an immediate action. While Jain joined at DVC HQs at Kolkata on 22nd April, 2008, the Deputy Chief Vigilance Officer released a charge sheet consisting of 12 questions against Jain the same day. Had the management decided to transfer and charge sheet together? All the questions of the allegation were absurd and were prepared for mental agony. All the serious charges were related with the purchase of 1200 bags cement for urgent construction works in a sub-station at Purulia one year back. Instead of using any local cement he preferred using Birla cement in spite of that he was tackled with these absurd questions. It was a planned crafty move of such unfound allegations so that before finding an answer you back out and become desperate to leave the battlefield. But his power strengthened more after it. We can be removed from any job but we will react to every wrong/ill design of the management. Can an officer who stopped coal blocks from being sold and saved crores of rupees in interest of the Nation, cheat in buying 1200 bags of cement?
Chief Vigilance Officer guilty.
Gautam Chatterjee, IAS, sustained the post of Chief Vigilance Officer and took promotion in a confidential manner in April, 2008, violating the rules of Govt. of India. Jain pointed out to the Central Vigilance Commission & Ministry of Power and showed his objection by saying that if a CVO will seek promotion in a wrong way, who will stop the bad behaviour of the DVC management? Chatterjee had to deposit back the money to DVC, which he had got by way of accepting his promotion in the rank of Additional Secretary illegally in DVC. Chatterjee’s services from DVC were called back by the GOI and he was sent back to his original cadre
Central Information Commission’s funny role.
On behalf of the DVC Engineers’ Association, A.K Jain tried to inform the Central Information Commission of the Indian government about: (1) how much money was spent by the DVC in the legal battle against the Financial Adviser Rajesh Kumar? (2) On the single tender basis, DVC gave the contract to whom, when and worth how much? (3) Within the gap of two years, to whom and when did DVC donate more than 1 lac rupees? On 21st January 2009, Central Information Commissioner, Professor M.M Ansari, after the hearing of the case ordered DVC to provide all the available information in the public interest to the President, DVC Engineers’ Association. The Information Commissioner, Ansari in context to the Right to Information Act called an emergency meeting of the senior officers/officials of DVC in the DVC Headquarters at Kolkata on 4th February 2009. The commissioner delivered a good one hour statement on the Right to Information Act. The Commissioner had come to investigate against the neglect of the Right to Information Act by the DVC management or to give a lecture on the Right to Information Act? The right purpose of his trip to Kolkata could not be clear. The management did not lack behind any where in welcoming the guest. On 6th February 2009, the third day after the arrival of professor Ansari in