JOIN USRural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil has suspended 11 engineers working in a departmental agency on charges of financial irregularities and execution of substandard works.
According to a press statement from the minister’s office, the 11 engineers were working in the Raichur division of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) between 2012 and 2016.
Following a complaint regarding irregularities in the functioning of KRIDL, the minister ordered a departmental enquiry by the central account and audit wing. The enquiry revealed that prima facie irregularities to the tune of Rs 48.81 crore had taken place including false booking of expenditure, execution of substandard works, non-submission of accounts and incurring of excess expenditure. The enquiry report has named the involvement of 24 engineers in the irregularities. Of these, 10 engineers have retired.
Patil has ordered criminal cases against the serving and retired engineers and steps to recover losses caused to KRIDL due to the irregularities - from their salaries and pension.
Serving engineers who have been suspended are: B P Lingaraju, K V Mallesh, L Danyakumar (all executive engineers), Syed Mobin, Anil Kumar Gokale, S B Kulkarni (all assistant executive engineers), Anil M Patil, B Vijayakumar (both assistant engineers), B K Bharat Kumar and Anand Karlakunte (both junior engineers).
DH News Service