Hooda gives go-ahead for CBI probe against Khemka
Allegations: An RTI activist alleges violations in fabrication of HSWC godowns while Ashok Khemka was the MD
Fresh trouble is brewing for IAS officer Ashok Khemka with Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda giving the go-ahead for a CBI probe into the alleged violations in fabrication of the godowns of Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC).
The tenders were allegedly issued by Khemka during his tenure as the HSWC managing director.
Sources said RTI activist Ravinder Kumar had, on August 19, 2013, in a complaint addressed to the Chief Minister alleged that Khemka had ordered to replace old roof sheets of HSWC godowns with galvalume sheets without any approval or floating any tender.
Kumar had demanded a CBI probe into the alleged violations. Sources said the then chief secretary, P.K. Chaudhary, on September 19, 2013 had asked secretary agriculture Roshan Lal to probe the allegations.
Acting on the orders, the agriculture department in its November 18 reply had expressed an inability to probe the case stating that it is an economic offence which may be referred to the vigilance department.
"The Chief Minister has given a nod for a CBI probe into the allegations of violations in the galvalume sheets fixing work," said Haryana chief secretary S.C. Chaudhary.
According to highly-placed government sources, Khemka allegedly awarded a contract worth Rs 8 crore to Ahmedabad–based Proflex Systems without any prior approval, which is mandatory under the law.
Sources said the then HSWC chairman, Shakuntla Jakhu, was not in favour of fixing the sheets on the godowns.
The agenda was allegedly approved by her successor Roshan Lal. The complaints also raised finger on an engineer of the corporation named Vineet Chawla.
He is accused of manipulating government records. Khemka, meanwhile, has termed the allegations as a campaign to malign his image.
He said he left the corporation in April 2010 and has no knowledge about the purchase.
"It is beyond my imagination. I am being mentally harassed by a few people sitting in the chief minister's office. They are defaming me by leaking selected information to the media," Khemka said in a recent statement.
