MP cops now probing role of bureaucracy in Rs 3000 crore worth e-tender scam

New Delhi: After arresting four persons in the e-tender scam, the Madhya Pradesh police's Economic Offence Wing (EOW) is now trailing its guns on bureaucrats whose role are suspicious in the biggest online heist to favour private bidders in award of several government contracts that run into more than Rs 3000 crore.

After ET's expose last September which invited political onslaught on the then BJP regime, the EOW swung into action late and registered an FIR on April 10 much after Congress occupied power in Madhya Pradesh. And since then it has arrested four persons and the last being Nand Kumar Bramhe -- a senior officer of State Electric Development Corporation.

Brahme, who was earlier on special duty at MP State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd, was taken in police custody after he was produced in a local court.


Similarly, three directors of Bhopal-based Osmo IT Solutions were also arrested on Thursday and were interrogated to find out the scam was scripted.
EOW sources stated now the probe would focus on the role of bureaucrats, including of some IAS officers, who allegedly connived with backhand players and private bidders to rig encrypted bids.

EOW chief KN Tiwari told ET that a team of investigators was in Bangalore to investigate Antares -- one of the two service providers which was assigned the task of application development and maintenance of the online portal for tender bidding. Tiwari stated that the probing team would look after the role of the other service provider Tata Consultancy Services once they piece together how the software was compromised.

The Additional Director General stated that the EOW would not spare bureaucracy but was waiting for clinching evidence to lay its hands on officials through whom sneak preview of the bid price was allowed to select few bidders in nine contracts.

In the FIR too while referring to tampering in different tenders, the EOW hints at the role of state officers by stating that unauthorized use of 'digital signatures of the tender opening authority" was part of a "criminal conspiracy" due to which e-tender scam took place since 2014.

The FIR states that "..digital signature certificate is with department's tender opening authority," which ET's in-depth probe had pointed out is a fairly senior employee of the state.