Private agency procured sub-standard bomb disposal kits, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday admitted that a private agency appointed to supply bomb detection and disposal kits procured substandard material for the government.

“It is true that the bomb detection and disposal kits of high quality were supposed to be purchased from the US. It was mentioned in the contract as well; however Technotrade Impex supplied the kits purchased from South Africa and China and those were of substandard quality,” said Fadnavis in a written reply.

He was responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, who had asked about the action initiated against the company.

Fadnavis said, the state government has filed an FIR against the company in Colaba police station on March 13, 2012 and the Economic Offences Wing is investigating the whole case.

“The procedure for Letters Rogatory (LR) is on, though it is a complicated exercise. The government has also filed a civil suit on February 13, 2016 in the Bombay High Court to recover Rs 6,21,69,120 with interest rate of 18 per cent which was paid to the company,” chief minister said.

The ACB carried out the investigation in the home department and three officers and an employee were probed in this matter.

One employee has been punished, while legal action against the officers is in final stage, said the reply.

Three officers and employees from director general of police office too have faced action while charges against four have been dropped.

The probe against two officers is still on, Fadnavis said in the written reply.

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