VIVEK SHARMA
JAMMU: The Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of the Crime Branch Jammu has unearthed a scandal wherein over 7446 bitumen barrels of the Indian Oil Company (IOC) have been found missing, making losses to the government to the tune of over rupees eleven crores.
The transport company, which got the job order picked the stocks, as per the records, but failed to deliver it to Border Roads Organisation (BRO) even after the passage of two years.
After conducting preliminary investigations into the scandal, FIR (53/24) has been registered with the Crime Branch and the investigation entrusted to DySP Parul Bhadarwaj.
According to the FIR, registered under sections IPC 406, 408, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B, a complaint was received in the Crime Branch (EOW) Jammu from Amerjit Singh, Divisional Institutional Business Head, Indian Oil Corporation Limited,(IOC), Jammu Divisional Office against Haji Ghulam Qadir Akhoon, Proprietor, M/s Iqbal Motor Transport Service, Fleet Owners, Transporters and Contractors, Srinagar, J&K stating therein that M/s Indian Oil Corporation is a Government of India undertaking and is in the business of refining, marketing of petroleum products within the UT of J&K and Ladakh.
M/s Iqbal Motor Transport Service, a proprietorship firm was appointed by IOCL as handling contractor at Jammu packed bitumen Storage facility at Indane Bottling Plant, Kartholi, Bari Brahmana, District Samba, vide tender reference RCC/NR/ PSO/IB/ PT-85/18-19. A work order vide reference JDO/CFA/01 dated December 8,2018 was issued to M/s Iqbal Motor Transport Service and on November 25, 2022, a joint inspection and stock reconciliation of packed Bitumen Depot, situated inside IOCL Jammu Bottling Plant premises, Bari Brahmna, District Samba was conducted by IOCL officials in the presence of Haji Ghulam Qadir Akhoon, proprietor and other firm representatives. Upon inspection, joint stock reconciliation report of packed Bitumen Depot was prepared on November 25, 2022 and it was found that there was shortage 7446 bitumen barrels worth Rs.8.44 crores as calculated in terms of the CFA Agreement.
During internal enquiry conducted by the IOCL into the matter, it was observed that concerned contractor committed pilferage of packed bitumen barrels from Bottling Plant on forged documents and by generating duplicate/fake/invalid invoices etc besides other malpractices. The same complainant submitted revised letter in this office on December 7, 2023 wherein he furnished additional facts that Hazi Ghuam Qadir Akhoon, was also engaged as transporter of packed bitumen against work order reference: Jammu DO/CFA/01 dated September 17, 2022 and PSO/OPS/LT/Bitumen/2022-2023 (2022 PSO 1521691) dated June 22, 2022 ex-IOCL Panipat, that M/s Iqbal Motor Transport Service was responsible for delivery of packed bitumen drums to their customer Border Roads Oranization (BRO) at various project sites ex-CFA Jammu and Panipat supply location. Upon reconciliation of supplies with BRO, it was observed that M/s Iqbal Motor Transport Service had failed to deliver supplies to the BRO consignees. Due to non receipt of product by BRO, IOCL suffered an additional loss of Rs.3.0054 Cr (2596 drums) that had been handed over to M/s Iqbal Motor Transport Service, but not delivered by the transporter to respective consignees of BRO. Although IOCL handed over the product of 2596 bitumen drums to M/s Iqbal Motor Transport Service, but the transporter failed to deliver the product to BRO. In view of non-delivery of product to BRO consignees, the total loss to the corporation is revised to be Rs.11.725 Crore (Rs.8.72 Cr Inventory Loss + Rs 3.005 Crore due to 31 invoices) out of which Rs. 3.92 Crores have been recovered by enchasing the available Bank Gurantee (BG).
As the contents of the complaint and preliminary verification report reveal that the accused by hatching criminal conspiracy have committed criminal breach of trust, cheating and forgery, thereby causing wrongful loss to the Government of India Undertaking i.e IOCL and wrongful gain to themselves, a case u/s 406, 408, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC is registered at EOW, Crime Branch Jammu against Haji Ghulam Qadir Akhoon and others for in-depth investigation.