Jalandhar civic body breaks deadlock with private company
JALANDHAR: After 22 months, the municipal corporation (MC) has decided to end its deadlock with the city-based M/s Globe Auto Parts over the machinery purchase scam that came into light in February last year.
In 2016, the MC had purchased some machinery at around ₹2 crore from the firm, of which it paid ₹19.5 lakh each for big tippers of a new model.
In February last year, a workshop official, however, claimed that one out of ten tippers purchased was of old model, while another tipper supplied was refurbished. Following this, a FIR was filed against the company under Section 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of IPC in Police Station- 4 in June last year by the MC.
The city-based firm, in response, moved Punjab and Haryana high court on June 26 against the civic body for not releasing outstanding payment of the machinery, purchased under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Subsequently in October, the auto dealer put forth a proposal of settlement with the MC.
Teh Bazaari superintendent and MC workshop in-charge Mandeep Singh said the MC and the company had reached a mutual understanding. Both the parties will complete all legal procedures, including quashing the FIR before the competent court of law and providing new tippers in places old and dented ones.
“The company has agreed to replace one dented and one tipper of old model with new ones, while we have started the process of releasing the outstanding amount of over ₹14 lakh,” he said.