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Smart card scandal takes a new turn

Sujay Mehdudia

PAC members allege they were approached by the company

NEW DELHI: In a development that could have serious repercussions, some members of the Public Accounts Committee of the Assembly probing the Rs. 150-crore smart card scam connected with the Transport Department have alleged that they were "approached'' by certain officials of the private company that is holding the smart card contract not to finalise the PAC report on the issue.

The PAC headed by senior Congress legislator S. C. Vats is probing allegations of irregularities in finalisation and allotment of the contract for issuing smart cards for registration of vehicles in the Capital. Lieutenant-Governor B. L. Joshi has referred the matter to the Central Vigilance Commission. The PAC was to meet on Saturday to finalise and adopt the report.

The matter has generated a lot of heat in the past also as the Leader of the Opposition, Jagdish Mukhi, has time and again made serious allegations of wrongdoing in allotment of contract by the Delhi Government to the private company Shonkh Technologies International Limited in violation of all norms.

It is learnt that despite provocations, the PAC met and not only finalised but also adopted the report clearing the decks for its introduction in the Assembly.

A majority of the Congress and the BJP members present in the meeting have apparently lodged their protests and complaints against the private company and its officials for having approached them to thwart the adoption of the report.

"Some people claming to represent Shonkh Technologies International Limited approached me late last night. They wanted that the PAC report should not be finalised as they had a point of view to make on the issue. They claimed that their company was being targeted by vested interests and, therefore, this report should not be finalised and adopted.

There are many other things that transpired during that meeting that I would not like to share with the media,'' said DPCC president Ram Babu Sharma.

Another Congress legislator, Meira Bhardwaj, also claimed that representatives of the company came to her house last night and impressed upon her not to allow the finalisation of the PAC report on smart cards.

The same allegation has also been made by the BJP MLAs on the Committee that include Sahib Singh Chauhan and Jai Bhagwan Aggarwal. It is learnt that the company officials approached even Dr. Vats.

The firm was awarded the contract in Delhi in 2002.

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