SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the SP (CBI) to freeze all the bank accounts and fixed deposits of Executive Engineer (Electricals), P Dhar and contractor, J.I. Slong for the delay in the “construction and rectification” of Rockside Bungalow.
A total amount of Rs 15 crore has been allotted for the construction of Rockside Bungalow out of which Rs. 7 crore has already been paid to the contractor.
The PWD Secretary informed the Court during the hearing on Thursday that prima facie he has found the Executive Engineer (Electricals) and his subordinates to be negligent in performing the duties.
The Court constituted a Sub-Committee comprising of Registrar General and the Registrar (Admin) of HC, the SP (CBI) and a technical expert to be nominated by the superior body namely the High Court Building Committee to supervise the rectification works.
Moreover, the Court also made it clear that the Superintendent of Police (CBI) shall act only as an Officer of the Court for assistance and shall not register a case until there is a specific direction.
He will also visit the Judicial Complexes being constructed by the present contractor at Nongpoh and Jowai and the PWD will supply all the relevant documents and information relating to construction of these buildings, including the details of amount paid so far to the contractor for being examined by the Sub Committee. The Court also ordered that the contractor and Executive Engineer (Electricals) should not be associated with construction of a judicial building or any other building to be raised under the orders of this Court except those which are already pending with them. In the meantime, the Meghalaya PWD will carry out necessary rectification under the supervision of the Sub Committee and the rectification exercise should be completed only by the present contractor within a time frame under the supervision of the Sub-Committee. The correction of defects of Rockside Bungalow as pointed out during the course of hearing will have to be completed at the earliest, possibly, before October 2 7. The Sub Committee will submit the report on the next date of hearing on October 27.
