Setback for govt as high court stays SIT probe into civic works carried out by BBMP contractors

BENGALURU: In a blow to the government, the High Court of Karnataka on Friday stayed the investigation by a special investigation team (SIT) into the works carried out during the previous government. This comes on a petition filed by the BBMP contractors.

Soon after the Congress assumed power in the state, payments due to contractors were put on hold on the ground that an investigation will be carried out by the SIT into the works completed during the BJP tenure. After waiting for months for the dues to be cleared, the contractors approached the cout.

The contractors told the court that they have executed the projects and the BBMP engineers too have already filed their reports on completion of the projects. However, even after six months, the investigation by the SIT is continuing, they pointed out.

Following the high court order, BBMP contractors’ association president Manjunath said, “The present government ordered an SIT probe into the works taken up earlier and some contractors had approached court challenging this. They pointed out that roads were dug up by other agencies after they were laid and termed as substandard work. We presented technical facts before the court and secured a stay. The BBMP chief commissioner was not releasing payments citing the SIT probe, due to which contractors were pushed to trouble”.