MP CM seeks report on smartphone quality

According to sources, in a letter to MPSEDC a week ago, the chief minister’s office (CMO) asked the corporation to hold a detailed inquiry to check the quality of smart phones procured from Karvy Data Management Services Limited (KDMSL), Hyderabad.

The CMO also asked the officers to hold an inquiry to check the credentials of the manufacturer, Forstar Techno Solutions Private Limited (FTSPL).

Talking to HT, MPSEDC chief general manager Tilak Raj Kapoor said, “We have completed the inquiry and report will be submitted to CMO. Further action will be initiated by CMO.”

According to the sources, action can be taken against the officer who approved the phones.

Recently office-bearers of Vichaar Madhya Pradesh, a state based social organisation gave a demonstration of the poor functioning of the phone in a press conference. They warned that if the government didn’t initiate a probe into the scam till June 15, the organisation would lodge a complaint with the Economic Offence Wing (EOW).

MPSEDC had signed an agreement in September last with Hyderabad-based KDMSL for supply of 3.75 lakh smartphones at ₹2,159.75 a piece. About 1.30 lakh phones have been supplied.

The tender was floated in July 2016. KDMSL later assigned the job to Forstar Techno Solutions Private Limited (FTSPL), which has existed merely for two-and-ahalf years and had no previous experience in manufacture of smartphones, documents show..