Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Following the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) criminal action against a shipbuilding and engineering company based in Goa regarding a 2004–10 contract from a PSU, the Enforcement Directorate last week attached assets from the company valued at Rs 12.20 crore.
According to a press release from the ED on Tuesday, Goa-based Vipul Shipyard Limited, Vipul Shipping Engineering Limited, and their directors were found in possession of 35 movable properties, including securities, imported machinery, and two landing barges, in addition to four immovable properties, which were temporarily attached under the PMLA 2002.
The chargesheet submitted by the CBI regarding a contract awarded to these companies by Shipping Corporation of India Limited (SCIL) to construct six landing barges with a capacity of 200 passengers between 2004 and 2010 served as the basis for the ED investigations.
The ED press release went on to state that the two companies were given the contract even though they had not submitted a bid for it and lacked the necessary training and experience to carry it out.
The ED press release stated that additional investigations are ongoing and that “as a result, VSPL Goa, could not construct the landing barges in accordance with the technical specifications (the length of the draft increased from 0.7 meters to one meter and the speed reduced from 8 knots to 5 knots) thereby not meeting the Buyer’s requirements.”
