ACB given nod for open enquiry in Kharghar toll 'scam': HC

Maharashtra government has given permission to the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to conduct an "open enquiry" into alleged scam in tendering process of Khargar toll collection centre on Sion-Panvel highway in Navi Mumbai, the Bombay High Court was today informed.
The ACB had sent letters to the state Home department in September and December last year seeking its nod for the open enquiry. The agency informed the HC that it has not received any reply from the government till date.
A division bench headed by Justice R V More had last month questioned the government's failure to take a decision on the letters.

The state government today informed the bench that it has granted its sanction to ACB to conduct open enquiry into the case.
The court then sought to know by when the ACB would complete its open enquiry. To this, the government said open enquiry takes a minimum of six months to complete.
The court directed the government to submit before it a manual of the ACB to verify the time frame within which open enquiries have to be completed. The bench will hear the matter further next week.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Pravin Wategaonkar alleging bias and breach of rules in the tender process.

The ACB had earlier told the court that it has already conducted a preliminary enquiry into the allegations last year and had then sent letters to the state government seeking permission to carry out an open enquiry.
"The construction of the highway, the toll collection and so on are connected with the state PWD, MSRDC and other private and government agencies. Also, the process of tendering, construction and so on involved highly technical issues, hence an open enquiry is necessary before appropriate action is taken against persons involved, if any," ACB had said.
Unlike in a "discreet enquiry", the investigating officer can directly approach witnesses and accused employee in an open enquiry. Statements of witnesses are recorded and the suspect government servant is given an opportunity to explain the circumstances appearing against him.