3 contractors booked in transportation tender case

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 23

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a case against three contractors and three transporation firms after irregularities came to the fore in allotment of tenders for transportation of foodgrain, clubbing of clusters and labour cartage in the Sangrur grain markets.

A VB spokesperson said a case had been registered against contractors Paramveer Singh of Dhanula, Jaswant Rai of SBS Nagar and Rajiv Kumar of Jaitu. He added that Zimmidara Transport Company, Khanna, Zaildar Contractors and M/s Jagroop Singh and Sandeep Kumar of Malerkotla had been also booked.

He said in 2019-20, the accused in connivance with government employees decreased the number of clusters. “Earlier, there were about 58 clusters for transportation, 50 for cartage and around 180 for labour work. As a result, small contractors used to participate in the tendering process. Due to competition, tenders having lower rates were allotted. However, in 2020-21, the cluster size was reduced and small contractors failed to fulfil the high turnover condition and participate in the tenders.” A case has been registered under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B, IPC and the PCA Act has been registered against accused.