| News Details |
| GeM Scam Continues Unabated: RTI reveals | | Massive Irregularities in JKSPDCL : Balvinder Singh Urges CM to hand over the inquiry to CBI | 
Jammu, December 18 (Scoop News)-Renowned RTI activist and social activist Balvinder Singh, while addressing a press conference today, stated that the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) scam continues unabated despite repeated exposures and official alerts. He recalled that on 31 April 2022, he had exposed a GeM scam exceeding ₹500 crore involving the Directorate of Health Jammu and the Rural Development Department, following which the J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) issued an alert note to all government departments.
However, Singh said that the latest revelations obtained through RTI have brought to light shocking irregularities in the Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDCL). According to the information received, large-scale financial irregularities were committed in purchases made through GeM, indicating an open loot of the public exchequer by officers entrusted with procurement responsibilities.
Singh alleged that purchases were executed under the active involvement of the Buyer, Deputy General Manager JKSPDCL Jammu, the then Chief Accounts Officer, and other senior officers, under whose watch the scam was allowed to flourish—something that would not have been possible without the patronage of higher authorities.
Explaining the modus operandi, Singh said the department cleverly manipulated the GeM process to procure items from preferred vendors at rates of their own choosing. RTI replies revealed that several items were purchased at prices 200% to 300% higher than prevailing market rates.
Citing specific examples, Singh produced invoices before the media. He stated that two Bridgestone tubeless tyres (205/65/R15) were purchased by the Deputy General Manager, JKSPDCL, vide GeM Invoice No. GEM-56817735 dated 20.03.2025 at ₹18,000 per tyre, whereas the market price was approximately ₹6,950, reflecting a markup of over 160%.
Similarly, four Apollo tubeless tyres (145/80/R12) were purchased vide Invoice No. GEM-57136127 dated 22.03.2025 at ₹12,375 per tyre, while the prevailing market price was around ₹2,800, amounting to more than 340% overpricing.
Singh further stated that four Apollo tubeless tyres (185/85/R16) were purchased at ₹12,000 per tyre vide Invoice No. 58918143 dated 20.05.2025, despite the market price being approximately ₹6,600. Shockingly, eight days later two same tyres were again purchased eight days later through another GeM invoice dated 28.05.2025 @ Rs.18,000 per tyre, Rs.6000 higher than the previous tyre and 172% higher than the market rate.
He alleged that to avoid competitive bidding and scrutiny, JKSPDCL deliberately split purchase orders to keep the value below ₹50,000, placing orders of ₹36,000 on
20.03.2025 and ₹49,500 on 22.03.2025, thereby defeating the very purpose of GeM’s transparent procurement process.
Another buyer of JKSPDCL, Sh. Bunty Bholla, Deputy General Manager, purchased 15 LAPCARE-compatible toner cartridges manufactured by Rx Infotech Private Limited at a rate of ₹1,144.87 per unit vide GeM Invoice No. 59087894 dated 26.05.2025. On the same day, he further procured two additional cartridges of the same specification vide GeM Invoice No. GEM-59087910 dated 26.05.2025, but at a different and substantially higher rate @ ₹1,878 per unit, despite the available online market price being approximately ₹600 to 650 per cartridge, reflecting an overpricing ranging from about 75% to 185% above prevailing market rates.
Expressing concern, Singh questioned how the Chief Accounts Officer cleared and released payments without verifying market rates, proving that despite the ACB alert issued on 19.09.2022, nothing has changed on the ground.
He urged the Hon’ble Chief Minister of J&K to hand over the matter to the CBI for an in-depth investigation into the buyer–seller nexus. He also demanded that the ACB register FIRs against all officials involved in earlier and current GeM scams, including those in the Directorate of Health and RDD.
Concluding, Singh sarcastically urged the creators of GeM to rename it “MMKRP – Maan Marzi Ke Rates Place.”
Prominent Civil Society members who were present in the Press Conference are S Manjeet Singh Bali, S Rajinder Singh Sudan, Sh Mahesh Kotwal, Sh Anil Nargotra, S Janak Singh, S Satinder Pal Singh etc.
... |
| |
|
|
Share this Story |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|