The CBI had taken up inquiries in this case in 2017 after it received a complaint from the consumer affairs ministry, which oversees NCCF’s functioning.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a First Information Report against the top officials of the National Cooperative Consumer Federation for allegedly manipulating a tender in 2010 to give Adani Enterprises a contract to supply imported coal to a state-run Andhra Pradesh power firm.
According to the FIR, the bid by Adani Enterprises did not qualify when the tender was opened and should have been cancelled by NCCF officials. But instead of cancelling its bid, top officials gave Adani Enterprises “undue favour” and handed the contract to the company.
The CBI had taken up inquiries in this case in 2017 after it received a complaint from the consumer affairs ministry, which oversees NCCF’s functioning.
The CBI case names Virender Singh, former chairman of National Cooperative Consumer Federation, former NCCF managing director GP Gupta and its then senior advisor SC Singhal apart from Adani Enterprises.
The accused have been booked for criminal conspiracy, cheating and Prevention of Corruption Act.
According to the FIR, Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation had floated a limited tender inquiry in June 2010 for supply of 6 lakh metric tonnes of imported coal to Dr Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Plant, Vijayawada and Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant, Kadapa via Kalinada/Vizag/Chennai/Krishnapatnam or any other ports.
The NCCF was one of the six public sector organisations that was sent this inquiry. It initially asked Maharaja Brothers Coal Limited to take up the job which quoted a margin 2.25%. But it later cancelled this order and floated an open tender. Adani Enterprises was one of the six companies that filed their bids.
When the bids were initially processed, the Adani Enterprises representative was informed about the imminent rejection of their bid due to non-submission of NCCF margin and that Maharaja Brothers Coal Limited had quoted 2.25%.
A decision was taken by top NCCF officials to give the award of work to Adani Enterprises. The company had also allegedly presented a company called Vyom Trade Links Ltd as its proxy, the CBI said.
Prasanta Patnaik