Alert officer spots contractor fraud
They produced fake bills for `1.8 crore
The GHMC central zone authorities have caught 27 contractors who attempted to cheat the civic body of `1.8 crore and have booked them on criminal charges.
The contractors were given the job of de-silting nalas as part of the pre-monsoon work. They presented bills showing that several trips had been made to dispose of the silt, but it was discovered that the registration numbers of the vehicles they claimed to have used were of twowheelers.
Central zone municipal commissioner Hari Chandana, who unearthed the scam, said the work was given to the 27 contractors in 2016. “The contractors submitted the manipulated bills during March, which is considered the rush hour as the department is busy clearing bills, They assumed the manipulation will go unchecked. An audit was conducted and on checking, it was found that these contractors mentioned several vehicle numbers, among them those of a scooter, a Vespa two-wheeler and even autorickshaws. It is evident that such vehicles cannot transport silt. On investigation, it was found that bills amounting to `1.8 crore were false,” she said.
The scam was being perpetrated in seven out of eight circles in the central zone, she said.
Cases have been booked against the contractors under provisions of the lndian Contract Act 1872.
“We have filed an FIR against the contractors and written to the engineering wing of GHMC to blacklist them. Also, the department has blocked the e-tendering plea of the 27 so that no more contracts from GHMC can be allocated to them. The contractors will be liable for punishment under forgery, criminal breach of trust under various provisions of the lndian Penal Code,” Ms Chandana said.
Such practices by civic contractors are common. Eight contractors in Quthbullapur were booked for forging the signatures of engineers to clear bills. Less than 10 days ago, another contractor was booked for cheating on work to desilt storm water drains that cost the civic body `1.1 crore.