Special judge rejects closure report on Saubhagya scheme

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Jammu, August 13

Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, has rejected the instant closure report, which exonerated the public servants concerned involved in the execution of Saubhagya scheme for universal household electrification.

Discrepancies were detected in the scheme by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) that registered an FIR in 2020.

In a strong worded observations, Tahir Khurshid Raina, Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, stated: “This court rejects the instant closure report which has exonerated the public servants concerned, involved in the execution of Saubhagya scheme in Jammu province, from any criminal liability and only recommended departmental action (DA) against them to the government for committing some low profile violations of the guidelines. Let this message go to such investigating agencies, which want to treat the court as the dumping ground of their sham and motivated investigations, to simply get a seal of endorsement on them, that though there is a symbolic band on the eyes of goddess of justice, but judge sitting in the court is not blind”. The court ordered that further investigation be completed within a period of two months.

In the order, the court stated that the execution of the Saubhagya scheme prima-facie seems to have not been carried out as envisioned, desired and designed by the Government of India (GOI).

While drawing conclusion, the court said that the executing agency (JKPDCL), the Project Monitoring Agency (PMA), and even the government seem to be on same page so far as the shabby and illegal execution of Saubhagya Scheme on ground is concerned.

In its judgment, the court highlighted that the officials of the concerned departments, “through their criminal conspiracy, fabricated false evidence by way of creating utility certificates and bills, endorsed by the Project Monitoring Agency (PMA)—M/S Rodic Consultant Private Limited, New Delhi,—without its requisite authentication as per the actual work executed on the ground at the relevant time as was mandatorily required”.

“Therefore, in the light of glaring incriminating facts on the record, all the said agencies are criminally liable for commission of offences like misappropriation of public money, creating and using of false evidence and criminal conspiracy read with the offence of criminal misconduct as defined under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006,” observed the court.

The scheme was based on an amount of Rs 1750 crore to be utilised for electrification of 1,88,578 un-electrified households in 22 districts of erstwhile J&K state. However, finally as per the DPR, which got uploaded on the ‘SAUBHAGYA’ Portal, the cost of the project was estimated to be Rs 1080.25 crore.

The next date of hearing in the case has been scheduled for October 14.

Discrepancies detected

• The report exonerated public servants involved in the execution of the universal household electrification scheme
• Discrepancies were detected in the scheme by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) that registered an FIR in 2020
• The court ordered that further investigation be completed within a period of two months