Corruption scandal erupts in Uttar Pradesh over ₹6 crore tender manipulation

A major corruption scandal has been unearthed in Uttar Pradesh’s Shravasti district involving a ₹6 crore tender under the Chief Minister’s Slum Development Scheme. Allegations of irregularities in the tender process by Bhinga Nagar Palika’s Executive Officer (EO) have led to the cancellation of the entire process by District Magistrate Annapurna Garg. The EO reportedly manipulated the tender to favor certain contractors, sidelining more qualified bidders, as revealed in an investigation by the Chief Development Officer (CDO).

According to reports, the ₹6 crore budget was allocated by the DUDA department to Bhinga Nagar Palika for development projects. However, the EO allegedly bypassed rules to benefit preferred contractors, including Santosh Pal, GS Coatings, and Raj Construction, while disqualifying RP Singh Construction, which had offered a significantly lower bid of 17.87% below the base rate. The favored firms reportedly submitted bids with negligible reductions—some as low as 5 to 10 paise below the base rate.

Further scrutiny revealed glaring irregularities in the documents submitted by the selected contractors. Two firms lacked the mandatory six-month ESIC challan, providing only five months’ worth of documents, while another firm’s submission was deemed illegible. Shockingly, one contractor, Santosh Pal, submitted entirely forged documents, which were still approved by the EO.

The scandal came to light after Hariom Tiwari, District President of the BJP Youth Wing, raised the issue with the Chief Minister’s Office. Following this, the CDO conducted a detailed investigation, confirming violations in the tender process. Acting on the findings, DM Garg annulled the tender, citing serious procedural lapses.

ADM Shravasti confirmed the cancellation, stating, “The investigation revealed discrepancies in mandatory documents, leading to the DM’s decision to scrap the ₹6 crore tender.” While the cancellation is seen as a step toward accountability, questions remain over whether strict departmental or legal action will be taken against the EO and other officials involved in the alleged scam.