Bhubaneswar, Sep 4 (FN Representative) Two officials of M/s Hindustan Steel Works Construction Ltd. (HSCL)were arrested by the Odisha Vigilance on Monday and forwarded to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Bolangir. Vigilance sources said on the strength of search warrants issued by Spl. Judge Vigilance, Bolangir, searches were conducted at the office and residence of officials of M/s Hindustan Steel Works Construction Ltd. (HSCL). During the searches, two officials of HSCL Sourav Dey, Sr. Site Engineer & Saptarsi Goswamy, Site Engineer were arrested by Odisha Vigilance and are being forwarded to the Court These two HSCL officials were arrested in connection with substandard execution and misappropriation of Government funds in construction of 4 numbers of 100 seated hostels for S.C. students in Sonepur district under ST & SC Development Department.
Earlier two accused contractors Bijay Kumar Agrawal, Class-A Contractor and his power of attorney holder Deepak Kumar Agrawal were arrested in the case and are presently in jail custody. During investigation, it was revealed that the ST & SC Development Department of Odisha government j ha entered into an MoU with M/s HSCL Ltd. For projects worth Rs.43.94 crores entrusting the execution of hostel buildings for SC/ST students in KBK districts to M/s HSCL Ltd. This included 26 numbers of 120 seated ST Hostels in the state which included 12 in Rayagada district, eight in Bolangir , four in Subarnapur and 3 upgraded High School buildings at Gourmande, Raska and Bijadore. The HSCL entered into an agreement with M/s Bijay Kumar Agrawal and his Power of Attorney holder Deepak Kumar Agrawal for construction of 12 hostel buildings with agreement value of Rs.8.12 crores.. This included four numbers of 100 seated hostel buildings for SC students in Sonepur district with agreement value of Rs.2,71,24,207. The two public servants failed to supervise the works executed by the Contractors and, in connivance with them, facilitated release of payments and thereby allowed the Contractors to execute substandard work and misappropriate government funds. The HSCL executed the work without any approved design and drawing from the ST & SC Development Department. No soil test was conducted to ascertain the foundation requirement of the hostel buildings.