HC slams TS inaction on Niloufer contractor

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday slammed the state government for not taking steps to initiate criminal proceedings against diet and food supply contractor Koduri Suresh Babu, who used to supply food items to the staterun Niloufer Hospital, for his maleficence.

The superintendent of Niloufer Hospital found that Suresh Babu had indulged in tampering the bills for the food supplied to the patients.

He charged double rates, and in some instances, without supplying the food, claimed the bills. The amount he fraudulently claimed was estimated to be `1.13 crore.

The report of the superintendent was submitted to the High Court by the state government. As the High Court was monitoring the case and with the directions of it, the government had cancelled the contract given to Suresh Babu.

On Wednesday, Bommineni Vivekananda, the counsel for the petitioner, explained that no criminal action was taken against Suresh Babu, apart from cancellation of his contract. He also brought to the notice of the court that the fraudulent contractor was not blacklisted and at present he is continuing as food contractor for two other government hospitals. When the court enquired with the government, Radhive Reddy, counsel for the government submitted that a suit had been filed under the Revenue Recovery Act, to take back the swindled money. When the court questioned why a complaint had not been lodged against Suresh Babu for criminal offence, the counsel tried to skip the issue.

With that, the court said it was disappointed and observed that it appeared the government wanted to shield the fraudulent person and directed it to expedite steps to file a criminal case against the removed contractor.