The FIR states that Arc Media was declared technically qualified and financial bid opening was fixed on May 26, 2017, but it was kept in abeyance on Singh’s directions.
Goemkarponn desk
VASCO: The Central Bureau of Investigation’s anti-corruption branch in Goa has lodged an FIR against a former executive director (commercial) of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and corruption by allegedly giving undue favour and helping a company get the contract for advertising rights at Goa International Airport in Dabolim.
An FIR was lodged against Ramendra Kumar Singh, ex-executive director (commercial) AAI; advertising company M/s TDI International India Pvt Ltd, and unknown public servant(s).
The FIR states that “Singh along with other unknown officials of AAI entered into criminal conspiracy” with the firm, and “misused his official position” to help the company “get advertising concession contract at Goa airport in 2018”.
According to the FIR, a preliminary enquiry had revealed that the company had a previous advertising concession contract with AAI between 2009 and 2013, and that it owed the airports authority Rs 2.61 crore, yet it was given a fresh contract.
The FIR states that a tender was floated in 2017 at the Dabolim Airport in Goa for award of master advertising contract and two parties – M/s Arc Outdoor Media and the accused firm – participated. After opening of the bid, the latter was declared technically disqualified. The FIR states that Arc Media was declared technically qualified and financial bid opening was fixed on May 26, 2017, but it was kept in abeyance on Singh’s directions.
The FIR states that another tender was floated, and during opening of bids on July 18, 2018, only one bid was received from the firm [TDI] which had undisputed dues of Rs 40 crore at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport, Kolkata. It also states that its sister concern company had undisputed dues of Rs 66 lakh at Thiruvananthapuram airport, and at Chennai and Kolkata airports.
The FIR states that these “deficiencies” were identified by the staff of AAI and a recommendation was made to take legal opinion before arriving at a decision, but Singh and another official allegedly overruled the recommendation citing “the aspect of public interest and revenue augmentation, in violation of the RFP conditions”. The company was awarded the work in December 2018. (Indian Express)
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