IGP Chand and eight other senior police officers made such a claim Friday in their response to the CIAA´s accusation. The anti-graft body had sought clarifications from them two weeks ago. [break]
The CIAA about three weeks ago scrapped a tender awarded by Nepal Police Headquarters to a private firm for supplying nearly 57,000 parka jackets for police personnel after finding that the nine senior police officers had acted unlawfully in awarding the deal.
The Commission concluded that irregularity was committed as the tender went to the highest bidder, Ananda Traders Concern (ATC).
The CIAA had sought clarifications from them as to why departmental action should not be taken against them.
In response, IGP Chand and the other police officers argued that they made all the relevent decisions out of positive intentions and there was no irregularity as claimed by the CIAA.
“What we did was in good faith and with positive intentions. We have neither made any mistake nor did we commit any irregularity” read a paper furnished by the police officers to the Commission.
They have also requested the CIAA not to decide on taking any action against them. “No action should be taken against us,” states the document.
They reminded the CIAA that no money was released despite completion of the selection process and thus no embezzlement had taken place.
“We are innocent and we hope our request will not go unheard,” IGP Chanda said in his response to the Commission. They have termed the CIAA´s decision biased.
The CIAA however said that it is not concerned whether the deal was made with good intentions or bad. “Our duty is to check if there was any irregularity and not to make any judgment about intentions,” acting CIAA chief Lalit Bahadur Limbu told myrepublica.com.
“We will decide the nature of the punishments soon” he said, adding that the CIAA would most probably recommend to the government to take departmental action against the police officers.
The CIAA said they scrapped the tender as the award process was not carried out as per the Public Procurement Act and regulations under it. “Those involved in the process of awarding the tender have been found violating the existing procurement act and misusing their authority,” Limbu added.
However, the police officers defended themselves, saying that they have not violated the Public Procurement Act and Regulations while awarding the tender.
The CIAA said that Police Headquarters awarded the deal to ATC in haste on the pretext that the fiscal year was about to end. The CIAA termed that a weak argument.
Police Headquarters had issued a check of Rs 100 million even before entering into any formal agreement with the bidder, simply on the pretext that the fiscal year was coming to a close.
The CIAA had asked for clarifications from IGP Thakuri, DIG Ramesh Bikram Shah, SSP Shyam Khadka, SP Manoj Neupane, DSPs Ganesh Regmi, Siddhi Bikram Shah and Bajra Narayan Sharma and Inspectors Sita Ram Chapagain and Shambhu Dhakal.
Police Headquarters had awarded ATC the tender, ignoring the lowest bidder, New Siddha Deurali Traders. This latter firm had quoted a price of Rs 839 per piece whereas ATC had quoted nearly Rs 1,100. The price of each jacket supplied by ATC inclusive of VAT comes to around Rs 2,400.
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