SIT report: Vigilance inquiry sought into ₹100 cr advertisement fraud in Ludhiana

The complainants said that as per an SIT report submitted in 2017, the previous company looking after outdoor advertisement in Ludhiana city had used corrupt means to get the contract

City-based RTI activist Kuldeep Khaira and Hisar resident Sandeep Gupta have written to chief minister Bhagwant Mann seeking vigilance inquiry into the alleged ₹100 crore advertisement fraud in Ludhiana.

“Undue benefits are being given to advertisement contractor. It is shocking that the person who was given the advertisement contract during SAD-BJP regime, was again given the contract during Congress government and his companies were given undue benefits,” said Ludhiana city-based RTI activist Khaira, adding that SIT report highlighted cartelisation by contractors to avail the contract and poor publicity of tender among other anomalies. (HT FILE)

The complainants said that as per an SIT report submitted in 2017, the previous company looking after outdoor advertising in the city had used corrupt means to get the contract. Then, in 2018, the advertisement contract was again given to the same person who had formed another company, they said. They alleged that the annual income to MC under the advertisement contract then dipped to ₹4 crore from ₹25 crore.

“Undue benefits are being given to advertisement contractor. It is shocking that the person who was given the advertisement contract during SAD-BJP regime, was again given the contract during Congress government and his companies were given undue benefits,” said Khaira.

Khaira said that the SIT was constituted by the Congress government, but its report was not made public until now, which also points towards alleged involvement of officials. The SIT report highlighted cartelisation by contractors to avail the contract and poor publicity of tender among other anomalies.

Meanwhile, MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal stated that the contract was allotted before he joined office on the directions of the state government. If a complaint has been submitted, the state will conduct an inquiry and take action if anomalies are found, he said.