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PMC files police case for ₹1 crore worth forged bills for electrical works at crematoriums
The audit department of PMC pointed out that the bills were submitted sans any documents. An inquiry was initiated during which various officers whose signatures were present on the papers claimed that these signatures had been forged and that even the stamps were fake
PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Thursday lodged a police complaint regarding forged bills worth ₹99 lakh submitted without carrying out any works at the four crematoriums in the city.
The audit department recently took objection to bills worth ₹1 crore submitted by the electricity department. The audit department pointed out that the bills were submitted sans any documents. An inquiry was initiated during which various officers whose signatures were present on the papers claimed that these signatures had been forged and that even the stamps were fake. Immediately, the electricity department issued notices in the matter. Elected members across parties raised questions in the general body meeting and alleged the presence of a nexus between the administration and contractors. Criticism from the elected members forced the administration to lodge the police complaint.
Additional municipal commissioner Kunal Khemnar said, “This is a serious matter and the administration has conducted a primary inquiry. It has been found that the signatures and stamps used on the papers submitted are forged. Municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar has asked to file a complaint and we have filed it at Shivajinagar police station.”
“We sent two officers on Thursday to lodge the complaint. I spoke with the police officials and requested that a criminal case be registered. Along with the police inquiry, the administration has also initiated a departmental inquiry and the guilty will be punished,” Khemnar said.
Meanwhile, opposition parties including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) demanded that a forensic test of the signatures be conducted.
Leader of the house Ganesh Bidkar said, “All political parties are very angry at this incident and it is a serious crime. The administration must file a police case. I am sure there is a mastermind from the civic administration who guided this scam. Only a person who knows the municipal administration thoroughly can commit such a crime.”
