By SHUBHAJIT Chakraborty
Ranchi, Feb. 23 – Rs. 253 crore water supply project conducted by Hyderabad-based company in Ranchi is under cloud when income tax (IT) and vigilance department raised eyebrows on the project, alleging the contract bagged by dubious mean at the behest of former chief minister Madhu Koda.
The tender committee on February 13 approved the project to Hyderabad-based IVRCL Infrastructure & Projects Limited for restoring the water supply system for the state capital – a JNNURM project.
The question was raised by drinking water and sanitation department (DWSD) secretary PK Jojoria and asked income tax department and state vigilance department for check the company that has been under the scanner by the agencies.
“I simply wanted to know how far it is correct to award a tender to a company which is in the watch list of the income tax and vigilance. We are waiting for a response from both the agencies,” Jojoria said, confirming his move.
Income tax and vigilance department already snooping money filtering and disproportionate assets cases against Koda to the tune of Rs. 2000 crore, is probing for the reasons for IVRCL who bagged a contract for a rural electrification project. Rural electrification projects, initially worth Rs 343 crore, swelled to Rs 466 crore during the tenure of Koda, who is alleged to have received huge kickbacks in exchange of awarding contracts.
IVRCL is already executing two urban water supply projects for Jhumri Tilaiya and Deoghar at an estimated cost of Rs 26 crore and Rs 47 crore, respectively.
Minister Chandra Prakash Chodhury, his department was inquiring before giving a statement from government.
