Vigilance registers FIR in Theog water supply scam

The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered an FIR in water supply scam in Theog in Shimla district that was unearthed last month. The FIR has been registered under the sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1998 and under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

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After the scam was unearthed, the investigation was handed over to the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. During the preliminary investigation conducted by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) led by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Narvir Rathour, a 2022 Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation recipient, the mismanagement, lack of transparency and fraudulent practices were uncovered.

During the preliminary investigation, it was found that a sum of Rs 1,13,10,470 was paid without proper verification of water tanker trips and distribution records. Several vehicle registration numbers mentioned in contractor bills were found to be fraudulent. It was also found that there was a lack of transparency and accountability by the officials of the concerned department as they failed to maintain logbooks and essential financial records, raising concerns about misappropriation of funds.

Furthermore, the field verification revealed that discrepancies in trip details, with water being sourced from unauthorized locations.

According to the terms outlined in the tender issued by the Jal Shakti Department, the work was not carried out as per the conditions. The tender specified that clean water supply was to be provided from the Lelu Bridge near Theog, but the investigation showed that the contractor did not fetch water from this location into tankers or pickups. Instead, the drivers of the tankers and pickups filled water from drains and supplied it to the people.

The alleged scam was unearthed by former Theog MLA and CPM leader Rakesh Singha in January on the basis of RTI information. He had alleged that there was a serious irregularities in water supply. Singha has 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.