Haldia port scam: CVO asked to hand over important documents to CBI
Biswabrata Goswami
biswabrata@thestatesman.net
Haldia, 24 June
The anti-corruption branch of CBI, probing the multi-crore scam in Haldia port under Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), has asked the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) to hand over around 35 to 40 important documents related with the cargo handling, shore operation, tendering action and some other issues to them within a month failing which it would take action against some port officials who are reluctant to cooperate with them during the investigation.
The CBI has started the probe on 19 June in connection with the investigation into the alleged issue of multi-crore corruption at Haldia port which had been on the Shipping Ministry’s list of top problems facing the KoPT.
Though, the CBI had lodged complaint against former and present chairman, deputy chairman of KoPT and directors of private handling agents in 2013 (SIR/ACB case no. 19), but had not got the required approval to conduct the probe from the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government. Soon after the BJP took charge at the Center, the CBI got the required approval and started the probe, a senior port official said.
Besides, based on the complaint lodged by BJP MP from Bharuch in Gujarat, Mr Mansukh Bhai D Vasava, the Union Shipping Ministry has also swung into action against other 11 major ports on the same financial scam issues.
In the meantime, a PIL filed at the Calcutta High Court related with the financial scam at Haldia port has regularly been heard by the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Kumar Mishra.
In his letter to former Prime Minister Manmohon Singh, Mr Vasava highlighted the financial malpractice and theft of national resources and revenue at 12 major Indian ports amounting to over Rs 8 lakh crore.
The Statesman had earlier reported on the Haldia port scam on the basis of the Rajya Sabha secretariat memorandum, CAG and parliamentary panel reports, which highlighted major discrepancies in appointment of cargo-handling agents and disposing waste oil from the ports.
The CAG had also pointed out appointment of unauthorised agents or handling agents for onshore operation violating the provisions of the Major Port Trust Act.
In his complaint, Mr Vasava has alleged: “These handling agents freely enter into contracts with the exporters/importers and charge them as per their contracted terms rates not approved by TAMP/Central government which is a statutory requirement under Section 48 of MPT Act, 1963. These private handling agents, in order to expand and maintain their monopoly, have been ensuring that most of the members of the other interest groups comprising the Board of Trustees of the Major Ports of India are those who owe allegiance to these private handling agents.”
These persons should be disqualified under Section 6 of the MPT Act,1963 and their membership should be withdrawn by the Central government forthwith as every trustee is authorised to hold office for a period as may be considered by the Central government under Section 4(2) of the MPT Act,1963, Mr Vasava said.
A document which was forwarded to the PSC also indicated a scam of Rs 24,500 crore in the past 35 years at Haldia port only mentioning that the private parties are paying just an annual license fee of a mere Rs 5,400, and they are handling the cargo, shore operations and are taking crores as profit from the port.
biswabrata@thestatesman.net
Haldia, 24 June
The anti-corruption branch of CBI, probing the multi-crore scam in Haldia port under Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), has asked the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) to hand over around 35 to 40 important documents related with the cargo handling, shore operation, tendering action and some other issues to them within a month failing which it would take action against some port officials who are reluctant to cooperate with them during the investigation.
The CBI has started the probe on 19 June in connection with the investigation into the alleged issue of multi-crore corruption at Haldia port which had been on the Shipping Ministry’s list of top problems facing the KoPT.
Though, the CBI had lodged complaint against former and present chairman, deputy chairman of KoPT and directors of private handling agents in 2013 (SIR/ACB case no. 19), but had not got the required approval to conduct the probe from the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government. Soon after the BJP took charge at the Center, the CBI got the required approval and started the probe, a senior port official said.
Besides, based on the complaint lodged by BJP MP from Bharuch in Gujarat, Mr Mansukh Bhai D Vasava, the Union Shipping Ministry has also swung into action against other 11 major ports on the same financial scam issues.
In the meantime, a PIL filed at the Calcutta High Court related with the financial scam at Haldia port has regularly been heard by the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Kumar Mishra.
In his letter to former Prime Minister Manmohon Singh, Mr Vasava highlighted the financial malpractice and theft of national resources and revenue at 12 major Indian ports amounting to over Rs 8 lakh crore.
The Statesman had earlier reported on the Haldia port scam on the basis of the Rajya Sabha secretariat memorandum, CAG and parliamentary panel reports, which highlighted major discrepancies in appointment of cargo-handling agents and disposing waste oil from the ports.
The CAG had also pointed out appointment of unauthorised agents or handling agents for onshore operation violating the provisions of the Major Port Trust Act.
In his complaint, Mr Vasava has alleged: “These handling agents freely enter into contracts with the exporters/importers and charge them as per their contracted terms rates not approved by TAMP/Central government which is a statutory requirement under Section 48 of MPT Act, 1963. These private handling agents, in order to expand and maintain their monopoly, have been ensuring that most of the members of the other interest groups comprising the Board of Trustees of the Major Ports of India are those who owe allegiance to these private handling agents.”
These persons should be disqualified under Section 6 of the MPT Act,1963 and their membership should be withdrawn by the Central government forthwith as every trustee is authorised to hold office for a period as may be considered by the Central government under Section 4(2) of the MPT Act,1963, Mr Vasava said.
A document which was forwarded to the PSC also indicated a scam of Rs 24,500 crore in the past 35 years at Haldia port only mentioning that the private parties are paying just an annual license fee of a mere Rs 5,400, and they are handling the cargo, shore operations and are taking crores as profit from the port.
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