Nagpur: Taking cognisance of the complaint filed by advocate Satish Uke against division commissioner Anoop Kumar, the Chief secretary DK Jain has directed necessary action in the matter. Now, the state’s general administration department (GAD) and state election commission (SEC) will decide the fate of the complaint.
Advocate Uke had filed the complaint against Kumar on May 9, demanding immediate transfer of the IAS officer, who has been divisional commissioner for over four years.
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Monday 03 Feb. 2025
One of the complaints raised against Kumar is related to divisional sports complex at Mankapur. Uke has referred to a writ petition filed by Mumbai-based firm, KHFM Hospitality and Facility Management, in the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court, which had on February 23 restricted payments to Pune-based BVG India Ltd.
Divisional Sports Complex Executive Committee headed by the divisional commissioner is one of the four respondents in the case. The petition claims the committee had conducted tendering process to appoint private firm for mechanized housekeeping and upkeep services for the complex in December 2016. The committee opened financial bids where the petitioner emerged lowest bidder. However, the committee did not issue work order to the petitioner, claiming that tendering process had been scrapped due to revision in guidelines.
The petitioner alleged BVG, also one of the respondents, was being favoured. “BVG was second lowest bidder. Also, BVG’s services were continued despite lapse of contract two years ago. Our bid was Rs10 lakh less than that of BVG,” the petitioner alleged.
The norms say that tenders can be cancelled before opening of financial bids subject to appropriate reasons.
Uke has also referred to a contempt petition filed against divisional commissioner in the HC. “SEC had declared by-election for Gondia-Bhandara Lok Sabha seat, and MLC (local bodies constituency) for Chandrapur-Gadchiroli-Wardha. Kumar should be transferred for ensuring fair elections since he has completed over four years at the same posting, where the term should be three years,” he said.
Two IAS officers, Deepak Mhaisekar and Ashwin Mudgal, NIT chairman and municipal commissioner respectively, were transferred recently despite having completed only one year.
Denying all allegations, Kumar said the two cases referred to by Uke were pending in the HC. “We have filed replies in the petitions. The HC will take a decision. As far as my transfer is concerned, I am due for transfer and have to work as per the state government’s directives. I am not returning officer for the two elections, so there is no issue at all. I have nothing to do with divisional sports complex’s tendering process, as all such issues are dealt with by deputy director (sports), who is member secretary of the committee,” he said.
