New Delhi: The CBI, on Thursday, registered a corruption case against former Delhi health secretary Tarun Seem in connection with its investigation into the alleged irregularities committed in hiring three private firms for security of government hospitals in the national capital.
Sources said a case of corruption has been registered against Dr Seem, a 1992-batch IRS officer, three private security firms — Knight Watch Security Pvt Ltd, Innovision Pvt Ltd, SIS India Ltd — and other unidentified persons. Immediately after the case was registered, the agency sleuths conducted searches at the residence and office of former Delhi health secretary and premises of the private firms in the national capital, Noida and Gurgaon.
“It is alleged that irregularities were committed in the engagement of the three private security agencies for augmenting security in the emergency area of the hospitals of the Delhi government.
“It is also alleged that the contract was given to these agencies in violation of General Financial Rules, Central Vigilance Commission guidelines, tendering procedures and transaction of business rules,” sources said. The contracts to these firms were allegedly given in a non-transparent manner in April 2016 with no advertisement or tender issued by the department concerned, sources said, adding that “no prior approval of the lieutenant-governor or Cabinet was taken”. The CBI has alleged that the total cost of work was around Rs 10.50 crore and huge loss was caused to the exchequer. “The agency sleuths recovered several incriminating documents during searches from the premises of Dr Seem. The documents include papers related to Dr Seem’s properties located in Chandigarh, Noida and Gurgaon. His bank lockers are also being examined,” sources said.
Sources clarified that approval from the Delhi Cabinet was taken after giving contracts to these firms in June 2016.
Meanwhile, the AAP said the BJP-led Centre is trying to derail the initiatives taken by the Kejriwal-led government.
