BENGALURU: The faceoff between two IPS officers, D Roopa and Hemant Nimbalkar, over the tender process for the Bengaluru Safe City Project has also revealed the government’s alleged inaction despite receiving several complaints alleging irregularities and corruption. Sources said that the alleged irregularities were brought to the notice of the government through several complaints, as early as March.
“The letters were sent to the Vigilance wing of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) and senior police officers. But nothing happened till July when the DPAR’s Vigilance wing wrote to the Home Department asking to give information to the complainant directly,” a source said.
The New Indian Express has accessed the copies of three complaints. The first complaint is dated March 3 and is written by one Sharad Azad, General Secretary of All India Anti-Corruption Society. It was addressed to the Deputy Secretary of DPAR (Vigilance) and copies were marked to top police officials including the then Police Commissioner of Bengaluru city.
The second complaint was given by M K Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (S) to the DPAR (Vigilance) on June 25 and the latter had asked the Home Department on July 23 to furnish the details of the tender to the complainant.
The third complaint was given to the Prime Minister’s Office by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which was reportedly wrongly disqualified in the tender process, on June 29. The company had brought to the notice of the PM’s office that the directors of the two bidders were common and one of the common directors in both the companies was holding more than 5 per cent shares, which is a clear indication of Conflict of Interest.
Besides, it had also raised concerns that one of the bidders had quoted a Chinese brand for elements like cameras, servers and storage. “These Chinese-made products were demonstrated to the Bengaluru Police and other members of the evaluation committee. The usage of Chinese products in this important project of public security poses a great security risk as the enormous data of the residents of Bengaluru can be accessed by other than intended users and can be used for tracking and monitoring,” BEL had stated in the complaint.
Roopa replies to memo
Home Secretary D Roopa, who was issued a memo by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, has given a reply, attaching related documents, sources said. She was issued a memo as she had written to the Chief Secretary about the alleged irregularities in the tender.