EOW BEGINS PROBE INTO LMC AUTO PARTS SCAM

LUCKNOW : The UP Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has sought details about Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) officials, contractors, vendors and firms accused of irregularities in supply of auto parts to the corporation between 2018 and 2020. Lucknow Municipal Commissioner Ajay Dwivedi had around eight months ago sought a probe into the alleged irregularities in the auto parts supply.

The EOW, a few days back, sought details about officials who were allegedly responsible for making payments without verifying the supply of parts in the workshop of LMC’s rubbish removal department, where trucks and other vehicles of the corporation are repaired, a top LMC official said. It is alleged that some firms took payment at ‘inflated’ rates and some took payment without even supplying auto parts. Officials like former chief finance officer MM Lal, chief engineer RN Mishra, assistant engineer Rajesh Prakash Joshi and 12 other officials are expected to be questioned, the LMC official said.

The superintendent of police, EOW, recently sent a ‘confidential’ letter to the LMC administration, in which details about the ‘work orders’ issued for purchase of auto parts during that period have been sought. The LMC official said, “Officials of corporation have been directed to cooperate with EOW. All details and documents required for the probe would be made available to the EOW officials.”

Additional municipal commissioner Pankaj Singh said, “The system needs to be overhauled, everything will come out in the open after the probe.”