BHOPAL: More than three years since the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led-BJP government had
organised one of the biggest religious congregations in the country – Simhastha-2016 (Kumbh Mela) in Ujjain – the Madhya Pradesh Economic Offence Wing (EOW) has lodged two FIRs into alleged financial irregularities by different departments in the month-long fair.
Apart from the two FIRs (regular cases) the EOW also filed two preliminary enquiries (PEs). The first of two regular cases has been lodged by the EOW in connection with the mysterious disappearance of around 1,664 LED lights worth Rs 3.60 crore.
A primary investigation which resulted in the lodging of the regular case revealed that the LED lights slated to be installed at the fair did not disappear, instead, the Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) had taken a lesser supply of LED lights from the supplier.
Following this startling revelation, a case was lodged against the Ujjain Municipal Corporation officials concerned.
The officials of the supplier company are also being quizzed. The second FIR pertained to the electricity fittings, assembly of 500 toilets and ten changing rooms, as irregularity of payments were found again.
The two preliminary enquiries (PEs) also registered by the EOW, focus on the inflation in the cost of laying water supply pipelines.
The amount to install the pipelines skyrocketed from an initial Rs 15 crore to Rs 50 crore. The decision to increase the number of muster-roll workers, which, consequently saw the government lose Rs 75 lakh, is also being looked into.