By IANS
Bhopal : The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta (ombudsman) has registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against state PWD Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) Mayor Uma Shashi Sharma and five others for causing loss to the Corporation worth millions.
Congress member of the Indore corporation Dilip Kaushal confirmed the registration of case against Vijayvargiya and six others.
He had filed an affidavit with the Lokayukta about a year back alleging that Vijayvargiya and others had caused loss worth millions to the corporation by awarding tenders to construct bus stops and put up sign boards, in 2004 and 2005, on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis without realising advertisement fees. Vijayvargiya was then mayor of Indore.
A part of the work was awarded during the tenure of Vijayvargiya in 2004 while another part of the contract was awarded during the tenure of incumbent mayor Uma Shashi Sharma.
The contracts to construct 200 bus stops and put up sign boards were awarded to Rajdeep Infrastructure and M/s Ad King who as per the terms and conditions of the contracts agreed to pay Rs.12.5 million for 15 years.
The complainant, however, alleged that the Indore corporation authorities in collusion with political bigwigs awarded the contract without levying advertisement fees that could have fetched Rs.20 million annually.
The ombudsman conducted a preliminary enquiry and registered a case against Vijayvargiya, Uma Shashi Sharma, corporation revenue committee chairman Shankar Yadav, its PWD committee chairman Lalit Porwal, former commissioner Vinod Sharma, Rajdeep Infrastructure and Ad King.