Lokayukta gives clean chit to former Delhi BJP chief

Delhi Lokayukta Manmohan Sarin has exonerated former Delhi BJP President Vijender Gupta of charges of irregularities in purchase of uniform for MCD employees and students.
Dismissing the complaint filed by former Delhi Mayor and senior Congress leader Farhad Suri against Gupta, who was the Chairman of Standing Committee of unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Lokayukta observed "nothing has come on the record to show that Vijender Gupta has used or misused or abused his position for personal gains."
Lokayukta also found that Gupta was also Chairman of Standing Committee and decision taken by the committee was a collective decision and cannot be individually attributed to him.

Suri had filed a case against Gupta alleging irregularity in purchase of uniforms of MCD employees and students of schools run by the civic agency when Gupta was the Chairman of MCD Standing Committee.
In his complaint, Suri had said that Gupta in connivance with the National Textile Corporation (NTC) and Khadi and Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) had procured huge quantity of cloth without following the tender procedure and by ignoring the guidelines on the subject.
He alleged that NTC and KVIC had no infrastructure to supply the cloth and the material.

The procurement through NTC and KVIC was a camouflage as in fact clothes was purchased from private firms through these agencies causing a loss to the tune of Rs nine to 10 crore to the exchequer.

The allegation was that the school uniform was procured through NTC and KVIC at the rate of Rs 79 per sq metre as against D G S and D rates of Rs 54 per sq mtr.
The Lokayukta observed that "it is true that open bids system may offer competitive price, but the members of the committee and the officials in education department MCD are responsible officers, they have deliberated on issue of selecting agencies for procurement of uniform and then took conscious decision to procure uniforms from NTC and KVIC at DOPT and DGS & D approved rates, in view of the urgent requirement.

"This administrative discretion, unless vitiated by demonstrated ulterior consideration or lack of bonafides must be respected.
"The process of selection of agencies for procurement of uniform does not indicate any such lack of bonafides or ulterior consideration or undue influence of any person in decision making...," it said.