The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Negligence by ITPO officials'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Negligence by ITPO officials'

By Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI, DEC. 30. Two officials of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) who were entrusted with the job of monitoring the printing and supply of entry tickets to the India International Trade Fair organised at Pragati Maidan this year have allegedly been found negligent in carrying out their duty due to which tickets were apparently printed in excess.

The police investigations into the alleged overprinting of trade fair tickets have revealed that while the printing job had been sub-contracted to Everest Press at Okhla through one Mode Advertising and Marketing Agency, two ITPO officials had been officially given the assignment to monitor the entire exercise.

But the police suspect that they were negligent and as a result overprinting of tickets could not be detected in time.

About a month ago, the police mounted raids and seized tickets and passes worth Rs. 37 lakhs from two printing units, which were allegedly printed in excess of the demand placed by the ITPO.

The ITPO officials had then maintained that their job in the whole scheme of things was just to inspect printing units to certify they were fit for the work. They said the State Bank of India had made the payment for tickets.

It is learnt that despite several reminders, the police have not yet been provided papers containing details of the tickets received and sold by ITPO during the trade fair.

The manner in which the printing work was contracted to Everest Press, which sub-contracted it to two other printing units, has also led the police to scan through other related documents. An inquiry into the role of the ITPO officials is still on.

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