Uttarakhand High Court
Nandaur Haldwani Ujjwal vs Uttarakhand Forest Development on 20 March, 2024
Author: Rakesh Thapliyal
Bench: Rakesh Thapliyal
IN THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND
AT NAINITAL
Smt. Justice Ritu Bahri, CJ.
And
Sri Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, J.
20th March, 2024
Writ Petition (MB) No. 200 of 2023
Nandaur Haldwani Ujjwal
Dharam Kanta Owners Society. ................Petitioner.
Versus
Uttarakhand Forest Development
Corporation and others. .........Respondents.
With
Writ Petition (M/B) No. 235 of 2023
Aanchal Dharam Kanta
Owners Society ............Petitioner
Versus
Uttarakhand Forest Development
Corporation & Anr. .......Respondents.
And
Writ Petition (M/B) No. 252 of 2023
Haldwani Lalkuan Dharam
Kanta Owners Welfare Society. ............Petitioner
Versus
Uttarakhand Forest Development
Corporation & Ors. .......Respondents.
Counsel for the Petitioner: Mr. Shobhit Saharia and Mr. Birendra
Singh Adhikari.
Counsel for the respondent/corporation: Mr. Arvind Vashistha, Senior Advocate
assisted by Mr. Virender Kaparuwan.
Counsel for the private respondent: Mr. Bhuwan Bhatt.
Upon hearing the learned counsel, the court made following
Order: (Per Mr. Rakesh Thapliyal, J.)
1. All these writ petitions were decided by this Court by
judgment dated 26.10.2023 and while deciding these petitions,
this Court observed as under:
"36. The Respondent authorities are subjected to costs of
Rs. 50,000/- in each of these petitions, which shall be
recovered personally from the tender issuing authority viz.,
the Managing Director of Uttarakhand Forest
Development Corporation. We further direct the Vigilance
Department of the State to examine and look into the
conduct of the Managing Director, and all other officers in
the respondent corporation, who were responsible in
issuing the patently illegal tenders in question. The
Vigilance Report shall be placed before this Court in four
months. If not placed, the Registry shall list the matters
before Court for further orders."
2. Pursuant to the aforesaid judgment, particularly, as per
observations as recorded in paragraph 36 of the judgment, this
Court directed the Vigilance Department to examine and look
into the conduct of the Managing Director and all other officers in
the respondent Corporation, who were responsible in issuing the
patently illegal tenders in question and to place the Vigilance
report before this Court in four months.
3. On 04.03.2024, report of the Vigilance Department dated
07.02.2024 was placed before this Court and on 13.03.2024, this
Court directed to supply the copy of the vigilance report to the
parties.
4. We have perused the report submitted by the Vigilance
Establishment, Nainital Sector, Haldwani and the conclusion of
the Vigilance report is being reproduced as under:
"स�ािदत जांच , बयान यािचकाकता�गण , बयान अिधकारी /
कम�चारीगण उ�राखंड वन िवकास िनगम , बयान िनवत�मान प्रबंध
िनदेशक उ�राखंड वन िवकास िनगम एवं प्रा� अिभलेखों के
अवलोकन से �� है िक उ�राखंड वन िवकास िनगम के स�ालीन
प्रबंध िनदेशक श्री के ०एम० राव �ारा िनिवदा की शत� के िनधा�रण म�
शत� का यु��यु� िनधा�रण ना कर शतों की धनरािश को
अनानुपाितक �प से िलयोट�ोिन� �े� प्रा िल ० को लाभ प�चाने
की नीयत से बढ़ाया गया ट�डर प्रिक्रया के म� कुछ शत� म� प�रवत�न
करना भी िलयोट�ोिन� �े� प्रा ०िल० को लाभ प�ंचाने की नीयतसे
प�रवित�त करना �� �प से �ि�गोचर है। िदनांक 16 मई 2023 को
शत� म� प�रवत�न एवं िदनांक 28 जुलाई 2023 को चलायमान िनिवदा
प्रिक्रया के म� शत� म� प�रवत�न भी िलयो ट�ोिन� �े�
प्रा०िल०कंपनी को लाभ प�ंचाने की नीयत से प�रवित�त िकया जाना
�� है एवं िजसमे उ�राखंड अिधप्रा�� िनयमावली 2017 एवं
संशोधनों का उ� ंघन िकया गया एवं मनमानी शत� बनाकर
िलयोट�ोिन� �े� प्रा ०िल० नामक कंपनी को फायदा दुचाया गया।
त�ालीन प्रबंध िनदेशक श्री के ०एम० राव �ारा िदनां क 24 अग�
2023 को �ेत्रीय प्रबंधक हल्�ानी को पत्र प्रेिषत करते �ए िनिवदा
आमंित्रत करने हेतु िनद�िशत िक Urq �ेत्रीय प्रबंधक हल्�ानी को प्रेिषत
पत्र के प्रितउ�र की प्रती�ा िकये fcuk िक 28 अग� 2023 को
�यं अपने ह�ा�रों से िनिवदा आमंित्र त कर दी जब fd उ�� iwoZ ls
िविदत था िक िदनांक 31 अग� 2023 को सेवािनवृ� होना है। श्री के०
एम० राव �ारा �ेत्रीय प्रबंधक हल्�ानी को प्रेिषत पत्र के उ�र की
प्रती�ा िकये िबन मात्र 05 िदन के अंतराल म� ही अपनी सेवािनवृि� के
03 िदन पूव� अपने � र से िनिवदा मंित्रत िकया जाना संिद�ता को
प�रलि�त करता है। श्री के ०एम० राव िदनांक 31 अ x� 2023 को
प्रबंध िनदेशक उ�राखंड वन िवकास िनगम के पद से सेवा िनवृ� हो
चुके ह�।"
5. In this report, it is mentioned that the then Managing
Director - Mr. K.M. Rao instructed the Regional Manager on
24.08.2024 for inviting tenders but without waiting for the
response of the Regional Manager, Haldwani, on 28.08.2023, he
himself with his own signature invited tenders though he was
well aware that he is going to retire on 31.08.2023, which shows
his conduct as doubtful. This report further indicates that without
any response of the Regional Manager tenders were invited by
Mr. K.M. Rao, at the fag end of his service.
6. Learned counsel for both the parties also perused the
Vigilance report. Since Mr. K.M. Rao has already retired on
31.08.2023 and as per Vigilance report, his conduct was found to
be doubtful.
7. This Court is satisfied with the report of Vigilance
Department. Counsels for the parties are also agreed that no
further action is required except that adverse remark be placed in
his service record. Accordingly, this adverse remark about his
conduct, as recorded in the inquiry report be placed in the service
record of Mr. K.M. Rao, so that this adverse remark may be taken
into consideration, if he seeks re-employment in future.
8. Let this order be communicated to the present Managing
Director of the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation to
place adverse remark about misconduct of the then Managing
Director Mr. K.M. Rao in his service record and filed an affidavit
before this Court by 22.04.2024.
_____________
Ritu Bahri, CJ.
__________________
Rakesh Thapliyal, J.
20.03.2024
SKS
