Latest news with #V&E
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Medigadda a major ‘financial conspiracy': V&E report
1 2 Hyderabad: A detailed report by the vigilance and enforcement (V&E) department has uncovered what it termed a "major financial conspiracy" in the construction of the Medigadda barrage, which is part of the state's ambitious Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. The report covers construction activities from April 2015 to Oct 2023 and alleges a series of 'intentional' violations, procedural lapses, and unauthorised financial decisions. Senior officials in the irrigation and command area development (I&CAD), and finance departments are accused of colluding to push through flawed approvals and irregular payments, resulting in serious structural failures and significant losses to the public exchequer. The V&E report listed 18 major lapses, highlighting how assurances made during chief minister-level review meetings were misused to justify estimate revisions, design changes, and unapproved payments. A key example is a CM-level meeting held on Dec 9, 2017. Though its instructions were recorded and circulated by the principal secretary of I&CAD, the department failed to verify or adhere to these directions while processing revised estimates (RE), the report alleged. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Born 1940-1975 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Reassured Get Quote Undo Both the I&CAD and finance departments were found to have negligently circulated and approved files related to RE-I and RE-II without proper scrutiny, leading to major financial implications. According to the report, these deviations were deliberate and not accidental. Project officials used govt approvals to push contractor-favourable proposals, benefiting the contractor, L&T-PES (Private Limited and Engineering) JV, the report alleged and said these were fast-tracked without evaluation, opening the door for misappropriation of public funds. Engineering violations At the project execution level, the report alleged serious breaches of standard engineering protocols. Initial investigations and surveys failed to meet standards set by the Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP). Foundational designs were reportedly compromised due to the use of incomplete geo-technical data, which field engineers and the chief design officer alleged to have accepted without question. A major concern was the construction of secant piles, critical for the barrage's stability. According to L&T's own construction protocol, secondary piles should be placed within 1-2 days of primary ones. However, this was delayed by up to 45 days, and the quality control team had failed to intervene. The superintending engineer allowed the work to continue without verifying the agency's qualifications, the report alleged. Another serious lapse was the removal of cofferdams and sheet piles—a task contractually assigned to the contractor. Instead of ensuring this was completed, officials included a post-facto ₹61.2 crore provision for cofferdam works in RE-II, after the barrage had already been inaugurated. This move enabled illegal payments, the report said. Cofferdams were also not dismantled to pre-construction levels, disturbing the natural flow of the Godavari river and putting the barrage at further risk. The report categorised this as criminal negligence requiring legal action. Further negligence was noted in the failure to remove overburden upstream of the barrage, despite warnings from 2D and 3D model studies by the Telangana State Engineering Research Laboratories (TSERL). This oversight changed the river's flow dynamics and contributed to structural damage downstream, the report highlighted. Undue financial advantage Some of these violations not only reflect administrative failure but also suggest deliberate attempts to extend undue financial advantages to the contractor at the state's expense, the report alleged. The V&E department concluded that the missteps taken from the start of the redesign in April 2015 to the barrage's structural failure on Oct 21, 2023, reflected a pattern of deliberate negligence, policy breaches, and financial misconduct. The report also called for strong disciplinary and legal action against the principal secretaries of the I&CAD and finance departments, chief engineer, and all subordinate officials involved throughout the project's planning, approval, and execution phases. Can go as gfx or box Alleged violation of financial sanctions Hyderabad: The V&E report highlighted a pattern of financial violations that reportedly harmed the state's interests in the execution of the mega project. Some of the points raised by the department include: Retention bank guarantees were released prematurely to the contractor, before project completion. This deprived the state of a financial safeguard and caused a direct loss of ₹22.9 crore in interest. The chief engineer violated a GO (dated Feb 20, 2016) by unilaterally approving deviations of up to 15% without informing the govt. A completion certificate was issued for ₹3,348 crore, even though ₹238 crore worth of work remained incomplete. An additional ₹367 crore was paid for new or excess items beyond RE-I, without any formal govt approval. A total of ₹259 crore was approved above RE-I's sanctioned ₹2,933 crore, also without proper permission. These payments were processed even before RE-II had been formally sanctioned. A ₹39 crore claim was made under the pretext of excess dewatering.
Hans India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
GST officials seize cigarettes, dishwash soaps
Guntur: In a significant crackdown on tax evasion and the illicit trade of tobacco products, Goods and Services Tax (GST) officials, in coordination with the Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) department, conducted a surprise inspection at Shop No 33, Annapurna Commercial Complex Welfare Society, Budampadu Bypass Road here on Friday. The operation was carried out under the Andhra Pradesh Goods and Services Tax (AP GST) Act, 2017, and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The action was initiated based on credible intelligence regarding the evasion of statutory tax liabilities and improper documentation of goods. Upon reaching the premises, the relevant officer, accompanied by a V&E team led by an inspector, conducted a joint search operation. The officials said that GTPL Step and GTPL Vimal brands cigarettes were seized in 206 bales with each bale containing 2 cartons, each carton containing 60 boxes, and each box containing 20 packets of 65 mm filter cigarettes. The estimated market value of these cigarettes is Rs 1,97,76,000.
New Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Former Andhra minister Rajini's brother-in-law arrested in extortion case
GUNTUR: In a major development, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Vidadala Gopi, brother-in-law of former Andhra Pradesh minister and YSRCP Chilakaluripet in-charge Vidadala Rajini, in connection with an alleged extortion case. Gopi was taken into custody in the early hours near Wipro Circle in Hyderabad and later moved to the Gachibowli police station. He is being shifted to Vijayawada for further interrogation. The ACB has registered a case against Rajini, suspended IPS officer Palle Joshua, Gopi, and Rajini's personal assistant Dodda Ramakrishna for abuse of power, criminal misconduct, and extortion during the previous YSRCP regime. The four are accused of extorting Rs 2.2 crore from the owner of Sri Lakshmi Balaji Stone Crusher in Yadlapadu, Palnadu district. The Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) department initiated an inquiry following a complaint, uncovering systematic misuse of authority. Based on the findings, the State government granted approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to proceed with the probe. According to the complaint, Rajini and Joshua allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore to permit the stone crusher's operations to continue. The V&E probe confirmed that Rs 2 crore was paid to Rajini and Rs 10 lakh each to Joshua and Ramakrishna. The case has been registered under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Sections 384 (extortion) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. Rajini has been named as the prime accused (A1), followed by Joshua (A2), Gopi (A3), and Ramakrishna (A4). Both Rajini and Gopi had moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking anticipatory bail. While their petitions were still under judicial consideration, ACB officials proceeded with Gopi's arrest.
