Bombay HC raps state for not registering cases against sub-standard chikki suppliers

The court asked the petitioner to furnish details on whether there was any illegality and procedural lapse in awarding the contracts and whether the contractors were ineligible. The court has directed the state to respond and posted hearing after three weeks.

The Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday rapped the state government for not registering a first information report (FIR) against contractors who allegedly supplied sub-standard chikki to state-run schools in 2015. After being informed that the awarding of contracts for supplying chikki was also controversial, the court asked the petitioner to furnish details on whether there was any illegality and procedural lapse in awarding the contracts and whether the contractors were ineligible. The court has directed the state to respond and posted hearing after three weeks.

The Bombay HC has directed the state to respond and posted hearing after three weeks. (HT FILE)

The division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Girish Kulkarni, while hearing public interest litigations (PIL) filed by activist Sandeep Ahire and others, was informed that the PILs filed in 2015 had sought a court-monitored inquiry into the alleged scam wherein sub-standard chikki was distributed to children studying in state-run schools as well as the irregularities in awarding contracts running into crores. The court was also told that an earlier bench of the HC had passed an interim order through which contracts and payments to the contractors were stayed.

In 2015, Pankaja Munde, the then state women and child development minister, had come under fire from various quarters for allegedly favouring certain suppliers to provide chikki under Integrated Child Development Scheme by awarding contracts worth ₹206 crore arbitrarily. The issue had worsened after reports emerged that the chikkis were adulterated and not fit for consumption.

While making submissions on Thursday, the advocate for petitioners said lab reports of the substandard chikki had shown there was mud and clay in them.

He further submitted that nearly 24 contracts amounting to over ₹206 crore had been sanctioned in a day to three contractors without following the process of issuing tenders. The bench was informed that the contracts were awarded in violation of a 1992 state government resolution (GR) which laid down procedures to be followed while awarding contracts.

After hearing the submissions, the bench asked the petitioner to give a list of points as to how the procedure of awarding contracts for chikki was not followed. “Focus on procedural aspects and see whether the procedure was as per norms. See whether it was tainted or an illegal contract and if contractors were ineligible. We can go into the question of inferior quality of the product at a later stage,” said the bench.

The HC also asked the petitioners and the state to furnish the Central government policy for distributing nutrients to children.

When government pleader Priyabhushan Kakade replied that no FIR had been filed against the suppliers of alleged substandard chikki, the court said, “Why are there no offences registered under the Food Safety Act against the suppliers? Your officers are busy filing offences against adulterated pedhas and barfis, why not in this case where children are suffering?”