Karnataka High Court directs govt to complete 40pc commission allegation probe in 6 weeks

BENGALURU:  The High Court of Karnataka has warned the government that if the inquiry commission does not complete the investigation into the allegation of 40 per cent commission by contractors in public works during the BJP rule in six weeks,  it will have to order 100 per cent bill sanction.

Justice M Nagaprasanna held a hearing today regarding the alleged 40 per cent commission charge. As per the earlier order, the commission had to complete the inquiry by February 6. The High Court asked the government why it did not complete the investigation even after 45 days.

Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty told the High Court during the hearing that 75 per cent of the contract dues was released to the contractors. “During the tenure of the  previous government, the money was not withheld, and we were shocked to hear about some of the issues. Those matters cannot be expressed openly. The commission was given a record of 45 construction works on January 3”, he noted.

Justice Nagaprasanna asked why the money has not been released as the work was done, and whether the present government is delaying release of dues just because the construction work was done during the previous government. “Let’s take the single-member commission constituted for the inquiry. Why are they creating a in releasing money after the completion of work”, the judge asked.

Justice Nagaprasanna expressed displeasure over the government’s delay in conducting the probe and asked, “Don’t you feel 45 days is not enough to complete the inquiry by the commission? The commission was supposed to complete the inquiry by February 6”. He again asked why the officials were taking time in providing document to the commission. He also warned of action against the BBMP Engineer-in-Chief and directed the authorities to terminate the services of lax officers. “If bills were raised for without doing the work, then investigate and take suitable action”, the High Court directed.

The judge asked, “Why has the probe commission not investigated for six months? And has been directed to complete investigate soon? Why has it not been done in 45 days? You seem to have no interest in it. If the commission does not complete the investigation in six weeks, then we will have to order sanction of 100 per cent bill amount”, the judge noted.