SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, May 18: The Jharkhand Government’s approval for an investigation by a judicial commission into the alleged irregularities in the construction of the newly built Jharkhand Assembly and the high court buildings yesterday took everyone by surprise.
The government decision came ahead of the crucial hearing by the Jharkhand High Court of the mining and shell companies scam cases involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his trusted bureaucrats, and associates.
It was surprising as the Chief Minister had earlier in July last year announced a probe into these irregularities by the State’s anti-corruption bureau (ACB).
Also, according to legal experts, a probe by the anti-corruption bureau should have been ordered ideally when the judicial commission finds any criminality in the construction of both the buildings.
However, an investigation by Lagatar24.com revealed that Chief Minister Hemant Soren, though announced the ACB inquiry into these irregularities, but forgot to pass a formal order.
“The ACB did not receive any instruction in this regard,” said an ACB official requesting anonymity.
A source said that the Chief Minister as building construction minister had approved a proposal to order a probe by the ACB into the irregularities in the construction of both the buildings in June last year. Thereafter, the Cabinet Vigilance department sent the proposal to the Chief Minister for final approval.
However, the file has been pending at the chief minister’s level since then, sources said.
“Now, it has been decided to hand over the probe to a judicial commission as ACB was a part of the state government and its role would have been questioned,” sources said.
“Also, various changes in the under-construction high court building were made at the suggestion of the HC judges’ committee. The ACB team won’t have the authority to seek clarifications from those judges. The judicial commission won’t have such limitations. Also, the commission won’t have to get prior sanctions from the governor to question Raghubar Das who held the building portfolio then,” sources said.
“So, let a judge himself decide the issue,” said an official.
The move, according to sources, is also said to be aimed at placating the Judiciary which is not said to be on good terms with the executive. Notably, the State cabinet recently cleared a fund of Rs 124 crore for the completion of the new high court building.
A petition is also pending in the high court regarding irregularities in the construction of the new court building. The government had initially said that an administrative approval of Rs 365 crore was given for the construction of the building. However, the estimated cost was later reduced to Rs 265 crore and again revised to Rs 697 crore without taking administrative approval.
“As per government norms, if there is cost escalation beyond 20 per cent, an administrative approval is needed, but this was not done in the case of the new high court building. Similarly, the Assembly building cost was reduced to Rs 332.03 crore initially but later the amount was enhanced to Rs 465 crore citing architectural defects,” sources said.
Both these projects were initiated and the tender was awarded during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government headed by Raghubar Das, who recently accused chief minister Hemant Soren of conflict of interest in the mining department granting him a lease for mining of stone chips in the outskirts of Ranchi. Soren is in-charge of the mining department.
Both the buildings were constructed by Ramkripal Construction Company during the tenure of Raghubar Das.
