After the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) recently submitted a probe report to the Maharashtra government on irregularities in the purchase of bomb disposal suits in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack,the Colaba police filed an FIR against importer Bimal Agarwal and two directors of the firm on Tuesday. After going through the ACBs report,Maharashtra Director General of Police K Subramanyam wrote to the Mumbai Police recommending that an FIR be filed against Agarwal and others. Sources said that 16 persons,including Agarwal,a senior IPS official and a home department official,had been indicted in the ACBs report. An FIR against Agarwal and two directors of the firm has been filed at the Colaba police station and will be investigated by the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing. Obviously,there could not have been irregularities without some officials being involved, said an officer,who did not wish to be named. The DGPs office had in December 2008 and February 2009 issued tenders for bomb disposal suits. The contract was awarded to Techno Trade Impex India Pvt Limited of Mumbai and an order for 82 suits was placed. The entire payment of Rs 6.25 crore was made to Agarwal on March 31,2009,even though the state government was yet to receive the suits. When senior police officers were unable to explain the advance payment of the entire amount to Agarwal,the state home department in September 2011 ordered the ACB to probe how the payment was released despite the DGP office not receiving the goods. The ACB also found that while the tender was floated for supply of 74 suits,an order was placed for 82. In October 2011,state home minister RR Patil order the cancellation of the Rs 6.25 crore order,and also ordered that all other payments due to Agarwal be stopped. The matter had,earlier,gone to the Bombay High Court when the government refused to accept the suits after the firm supplied them. The state government argued that the quality of the suits was not up to the mark. After the company moved the High Court,an affidavit filed by former principal secretary (home) P K Jain claimed Techno Trade acquired 36 bomb suits from South Africa and the remaining from China. It was alleged that bomb suits imported from China were cheaper and of a low quality as compared to those imported from South Africa. In September 2010,the Bombay High Court agreed with state government affidavit and asked Techno Trades director Agarwal if he wanted to withdraw the case or wanted the court to dismiss it. The court observed that it could not direct the state to accept the suits if it was not satisfied about the quality. Agarwal subsequently withdrew the case.
