Vigilance, ACB to file chargesheet in Theog water supply scam

The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) will soon submit a chargesheet in a trial court regarding the Theog water supply scam in which the registration number of vehicles used for water supply turned out to be those of motorcycles, cars, including a vehicle belonging to a senior government official, instead of water tankers.

Sources informed that the Vigilance had prepared a chargesheet against accused officials as well as the contractor. The chargesheet was sent to the prosecution for approval. “As soon the chargesheet is approved, it will be submitted in a trial court,” the sources said.

The scam first came to the fore when it was highlighted by former Theog MLA and CPM leader Rakesh Singha, who alleged that there were serious irregularities in water supply.

Singha, on the basis of an RTI, alleged that the registration number of vehicles used for water supply turned out to those of motorcycles, cars, including a vehicle belonging to a senior government official, instead of water tankers.

Following revelations, the case was handed over to the HP State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau which conducted the preliminary investigation of the case. The investigation that was carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Vigilance, unearthed serious instances of mismanagement, lack of transparency and fraudulent practices.

During the probe, it was found that an amount of Rs 1,13,10,470 had been released without proper verification of water tanker trips and distribution records. Several vehicle registration numbers listed in contractors’ bills were found to be fake. Moreover, officials of the department concerned failed to maintain logbooks and essential financial documents, raising strong suspicions of fund misappropriation. It was also revealed during the field verification that there were discrepancies in tanker trip details, including water being lifted from unauthorised sources.

Later on, an FIR under the sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1998, and under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, was also registered at the Vigilance police station in Shimla.

As per the tender issued by the state’s Jal Shakti Department, clean drinking water was to be supplied from the Lelu bridge near Theog. However, the investigation revealed that the contractor did not follow this mandate.

Instead of collecting water from the designated source, it was found that tanker and pickup drivers filled water from local drains before supplying it to residents.