Vigilance Bureau files FIR in Theog water supply scam
The Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered an FIR in the water supply scam in the Theog assembly constituency of Shimla district. The case was registered against unidentified persons after a preliminary investigation questioned 90 individuals, including SDM Theog, suspended engineers, tanker drivers, and contractors, and their statements were recorded.
The Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered an FIR in the water supply scam in the Theog assembly constituency of Shimla district. The case was registered against unidentified persons after a preliminary investigation questioned 90 individuals, including SDM Theog, suspended engineers, tanker drivers, and contractors, and their statements were recorded.
The preliminary probe had found serious irregularities in the supply of potable water through tankers. The probe had pointed out discrepancies in the statements of the suspended engineers, contractors, and officials of the Jal Shakti Department. The investigation found that the work was not carried out as per the tender conditions. There are allegations that contractors, in collusion with Jal Shakti Department officials, manipulated records to generate fraudulent bills. The role of the suspended engineers and clerical staff has come under scrutiny. The Executive Engineer is accused of forwarding these unchecked bills, prepared by junior engineers, for approval. The documents were then sent to the SDM, who subsequently released the payments to contractors without verifying the claims.
RTI brought scam to fore
An inquiry was marked over the alleged misappropriation of funds after a reply to an RTI application revealed that motorcycles, Maruti Suzuki Alto and Alto K 10 cars, Honda City cars and the horticulture department director’s Mahindra Bolero were used to transport water in Theog in 2024. The RTI was filed by Communist Party of India (CPI Marxist) leader Sandip Verma.
Between February and June last year, a severe drought in Theog sub-division necessitated the supply of water through tankers. It was alleged that payments were made for non-existent supplies. Raising the matter, in January this year, former MLA Rakesh Singha said, “In many cases, motorcycles, luxury cars and even an officer’s official vehicle were listed as tankers supplying water.” Singha had said every year, ₹10-12 lakh were spent for water supply in Theog but in 2024, this figure stood at ₹1.13 crore.
10 officials were suspended
After a preliminary inquiry into allegations of embezzlement of funds in deployment of water tankers in Matiana and Kasumpti divisions of the jal shakti department, the state government suspended five officials from these two divisions and ordered suspension of other five officials on January 4.
The inquiry, conducted by Jal Shakti Circle Shimla-9 superintending engineer flagged ‘lapses and irregularities’ involving multiple officers and the vigilance probe identified five involved in the alleged embezzlement.
The additional chief secretary of the water supply department directed the engineer-in-chief of the Tutikandi water and power department to initiate further proceedings as per the report’s recommendations.